WHILE Eloise was in Paris
by RevSue
Summary: Nanny explores New York City while Eloise and her mother are in Paris and Wilkes joins her!
1. Chapter 1

Title: WHILE Eloise was in Paris ...

Authors: Kiki & RevSue

Rating: T ... but still, romance!!

Summary: Kiki's idea! Eloise goes to Paris with her mother in March 1956 (arbitrarily three months after Eloise at Christmastime!) ... and Nanny finds herself at loose ends in New York City (for a little while!)

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters since the Eloise movies and the characters are the property of Disney and Kay Thompson. I make no money from this work of fiction!_

Nanny leaned on the windowsill of their suite on the sixteenth floor of the Plaza Hotel, and sighed. After Eloise had gone to be with her mother in Paris, Nanny had delighted in the peace and quiet surrounding her for the first day or two. However, being more accustomed to a whirlwind of activity when Eloise was with her, Nanny found she was actually becoming bored ... and being bored was not allowed, for Lord's sake!

The last few mornings when she had not being awakened by an alarm or Eloise's loud cry, Nanny had lain in bed, warm and relaxed, and suddenly her body had begun to heat up and cravings had rolled over her in waves. At first she had thought with horror that she was suffering hot flashes, after thinking she had been done with that nonsense for years now and she was surely much too old now – much, much, much! Then she had realized that the heat wasn't as simple as menopause. Rather, it was ... well, to be absolutely blunt about it, the biggest part of it was LUST! It was lust which included a very strong desire to be held and a real longing for another body ... a MALE body!

All her life, Nanny had missed the feel and smell, the taste and touch of a man's body. It didn't matter that she was so well known in the Plaza that every single person who worked there would know within an hour if she, by some miracle, ever had a date! Nor did it matter that she had NEVER really had a relationship with a man in all her sixty-eight years. Yes, for the last couple of days, she had been experiencing a very powerful, very directed longing for something more than she had ever had or wanted with a man before. Unfortunately, it seemed that somehow this longing had become fixated on the only single man with whom she was acquainted, namely Sir Wilkes. HE would probably never have noticed her had Eloise not struck up countless conversations with him. But Nanny had noticed him, for sure, sure, sure!

Nanny sighed again. Now, looking out the window and seeing the crowds of tourists streaming in and out of the Plaza, not to mention those hiring the horse-drawn carriages which were lined up along the streets and those people enjoying the spring weather which had finally come to New York City made up Nanny's mind for her. She would 'play tourist' for the next week, and really get to know this city which had been her home on and off for thirty years.

Knowing that Walter was the man to see about getting reservations on various tours, as well as the one probably most knowledgeable as to which tours were best, Nanny headed downstairs, purse in hand. She sincerely hoped the tours would not be too expensive, as Kay had neglected to pay her salary this month.

"Walter, I was wondering if you could get me a ticket to go on one of those city bus tours ..." she asked diffidently, pointing to a colourful poster by the man's desk.

"Sure, Nanny. When do you want to go?"

"Well, I was hoping ... tomorrow," she smiled.

"I'll go check ... just give me a minute, please, Nanny!"

Clutching her purse to her chest, Nanny pursed her lips and whistled softly as she idly read the myriad of advertisements on the walls behind the concierge's counter.

"Nanny?"

The deep voice in her ear made Nanny jump in surprise, a discordant whistle coming from her lips. "Aoww, my LORD! Sir Wilkes!"

"Nanny, I thought you had gone to Paris for a week! Eloise said 'we' when she mentioned leaving a couple of days ago ..." Sir Wilkes took off his hat, a puzzled look on his face. "And when I didn't see a sign of either of you for a couple of days, I just assumed that you had ..."

"No, no, no," Nanny shook her head. "Eloise went to Paris with Kay. I'm really not one for shopping in all those designer stores, for Lord's sake!"

Walter came back just then. "You're in luck, Nanny! There are just two seats left on the tour tomorrow morning. It leaves at seven a.m. sharp from just outside the front doors here. Your lunch and supper are provided as part of your tour ticket."

"Tour?" Sir Wilkes questioned.

Nanny blushed a little and stammered as she said, "Well, being that I'm alone this week ... and I've told Eloise over and over that being bored is not allowed, I thought I would do a little sight-seeing around New York City. So, thanks to Walter, I'm taking that day tour ...." and she pointed to the sign on the wall beside Sir Wilkes.

"By yourself?"

"Well ... yes."

"Walter, you did say there were two seats left, did you not?" queried Sir Wilkes.

"That's right, Sir Wilkes," Walter grinned. "You interested in going on the tour, too?"

"I do believe I am ..." With that, Sir Wilkes pulled out his wallet and, despite Nanny's flabbergasted protests, paid for both tour tickets. "Tosh, tosh, tosh!" he said to Nanny when Walter had gone back with the money to fetch the tickets. "Think of it as a belated Christmas present. The one I never got you."

"But I didn't get YOU a Christmas present either, Sir Wilkes! And you know, know, KNOW that that entire Christmas present fiasco was Eloise's doing!"

"On the contrary, Nanny," Sir Wilkes said softly, "This past Christmas, I received one of the best gifts I have ever had in my life from you."

Nanny stared at him, bewildered. Then her eyes narrowed. "Did Eloise ...?"

"No," he shook his head emphatically. "No, it wasn't Eloise. It was YOU, Nanny."

"When?" she demanded. "When did I give you a gift?"

"Under the tree on Christmas Eve. Upon reflection, I do believe that it came from your heart, and if I was listening to YOUR heart properly, I would have realized it much sooner than I did."

Unable to say a word, her face suffused with colour and she looked away even as the thought went through her mind, _Oh my stars, stars, stars, he's actually referring to the KISS I gave him under the tree!_

"Please, Nanny," Sir Wilkes wheedled, "allow me to accompany you on the bus tour tomorrow."

"You may certainly accompany me ... the seat was vacant anyway ... but you needn't pay for my ticket, for Lord's sake!" Nanny spoke hesitantly at the start, then her resolve came back, and she was insistent that she pay for her own tour ticket in spite of her hidden delight that Sir Wilkes was wanting to spend time with her on a bus excursion!

"Please, Nanny ..." Sir Wilkes repeated, but was interrupted by Walter's return.

"Here you are, Sir Wilkes! Two tickets. One for you, and one for Nanny. Have a good day, kids!" The concierge winked and grinned. "While Eloise is in Paris ... well, make hay while the sun shines, as they say! And I'll leave you with one final admonishment which will give you plenty of leeway ... don't do anything *I* wouldn't do!" Guffawing at the faintly embarrassed look on Nanny's face, Walter mercifully left them alone.

"Er, Nanny, have you eaten tonight?" Sir Wilkes questioned as Nanny began to turn away without a word.

Nanny, still a little dazed by the speed with which Sir Wilkes had taken over her planned day to play tourist, merely stared at him and shook her head.

"Then would you do me the honour of joining me in the Rose Room?"

"Sir Wilkes!" Nanny gasped again, one more shock giving her the nudge she needed to find her voice. "That's absolutely not neces ...."

"You see," he broke in smoothly, "I haven't eaten all day, and I am not fond of dining in such elegant restaurants alone. It quite takes away my appetite, and I must admit, I am terribly ravenous. Please, Nanny?"

Helplessly Nanny looked at him, then glanced around. No one was in sight. She looked down at herself and sighed. "Sir Wilkes, I'm not dressed properly for the Rose Room!"

"How remarkable! I thought you were MOST properly dressed!"

"Oh, my Lord, not for that fancy place!"

"I see. Then ... shall we eat in the Palm Court?"

"But you wanted to eat in an elegant restaurant, you said!"

"I'd rather eat from a street vendor with yo ... er, in company such as yours than in the most elegant restaurant by myself! Please, Nanny?"

After a moment, she nodded, still looking uncertain. "Very well. I ... I thank you once again."

"I thank YOU for saving me from room service," he said, gallantly offering her his arm. "Shall we?"

O o O o O o

They walked across the lobby, and Nanny was certain she felt all the curious glances trained on her, strangers wondering why such a distinguished gentleman was arm-in-arm with someone the likes of HER! She was convinced it was all a game to him. It had to be. Men like him were not, could not POSSIBLY be, interested in ... women like her.

Henry greeted them with a wide smile at the entrance to the Palm Court. "Nanny! Sir Wilkes! So nice to see you here together again!" Then he winked at Sir Wilkes and said in an undertone, "and I understand you making your move while Eloise is away! Good plan! After all, while the cat's away, the mice will play!"

Nanny overheard Henry's jocular comment and her breath caught. _My sainted Aunt Fanny! Both Walter AND Henry must think there is something between ... between Sir Wilkes and me! Oh, my stars, stars, stars!_

"Come this way, both of you. I've got just the place – a nice, secluded, romantic table for two ..." Henry said meaningfully.

Her face hot with embarrassment, Nanny followed ... not noticing that Sir Wilkes' face was just as fiery as her own felt. They were both silent as they were seated and the menus placed in their hands, neither one brave enough to look up at the other.

After their orders had been taken, Sir Wilkes cleared his throat and said, rather desperately, "Nanny ... as we are spending the day tomorrow in close proximity, perhaps we should, well, get to know each other a little better? Er, our pasts, I mean ..." He took a gulp of the ice water Henry had left them. "And really ... I can't just keep calling you Nanny!"

Nanny peeked at him, and saw he looked every bit as uncomfortable now as she felt ... and that suddenly gave her a measure of courage. In an effort to make him feel that his invitation for dinner was not wasted, she exerted herself to be more entertaining. If he wanted to know about her past ... well, she had no deep, dark secrets! She grinned suddenly, "I suppose you can't ... as it does sound funny ... but Sir Wilkes, my real name IS Nanny ... well, Elizabeth Anne, but they called me Nan or Nanny. I've never been Elizabeth Anne. That name is rawther classy, I always thought, not me at all, but ... well, anyway, when that was all I could do, look after children, I mean, I AM Nanny!"

"Your ... your name IS Nanny?" Then Sir Wilkes pulled himself together and frowned slightly, "Er, Eloise told me that you had some ridiculous idea in your head that I am above your station or something? I believe those were her exact words."

"Oh, my Lord, she didn't SAY that to you, did she?" Nanny was covered with confusion again.

"Actually, she did, and I was SO hoping she was wrong! She said it when I was asking her advice regarding a Christmas present for you ... and I simply must apologize to you for never actually managing to find something worthy of you ..."

Nanny's eyes were wide with surprise. "W-worthy? Of ME?" she squeaked.

His hand came down over hers which was clenched on the table, and he leaned forward earnestly. "I DID try to find something wonderful, something that you would love, something that would suit you exactly, but I'm afraid my ideas were never quite good enough for someone like y...."

Just then, Henry came back with their meals. Nanny pulled her hand away abruptly, and Sir Wilkes cleared his throat again. They both murmured their thanks, and when Henry left them alone, Nanny picked up her fork, determined to change the subject.

"I suppose it's rawther obvious that I'm from London ... er, whereabouts in England were you born?"

Sir Wilkes smiled unexpectedly. "Actually, I was born in Alberta, in Canada."

"Really? But your accent ..."

"When I was seven, my family returned to England and I was sent to boarding school. I expect that's where my accent comes from. All those years of schooling in England ..."

"I grew up without the benefit of much schooling," Nanny said a trifle wistfully. "which is why I am so adamant that Eloise be educated properly. She has to MAKE something of herself! The child has a big heart, but she doesn't like learning from books, for sure, sure, sure. When she said she hated studying, I told her, 'just think how attractive THAT would be, growing up ignorant!' She should just look at ME ...."

"I think you're very attractive, Nanny," Sir Wilkes said softly, his face a little pink as he looked directly at her. "Then again, I don't think you're at all ignorant, either."

Her mouth dropped open in amazement at his words and significant look, then her face flushed a deep red and she looked away, speechless.

They ate silently for a while, then Nanny ventured to say, "You know the important people in my life ... Eloise and her mother Kay. Do you have any family, Sir Wilkes?"

His face broke into a beaming smile, and he reached into his pocket for his wallet. "I have family indeed ... my adored Kathleen, three boys I love very much, and just last month, the third generation Wilkes was born!"

Sir Wilkes was busy extracting the pictures from his wallet and didn't notice that Nanny's face changed or that she almost choked on her food. He was MARRIED? He had three sons and now a GRANDCHILD? OH MY LORD!

"But ... but where ...?" Nanny swallowed hard and tried to keep her voice from breaking. "Do they live ... here?"

"Oh no! No, they're in England. I spend a total of about eight months of the year in England, you see, so it was easier for me to stay in a hotel here for the times that I am required to be in New York City on business. That is why I have this suite here at the Plaza."

"I ... see ..." Nanny also saw her hopes and dreams of a further relationship with Sir Wilkes disappear. She took the pictures when he thrust them into her hand, and concentrated fiercely on keeping her tears back as she stared at the black and white pictures of a lovely woman surrounded by three men, one of whom looked very like Sir Wilkes himself. Another picture showed Sir Wilkes and his 'adored Kathleen' with their heads very close together as they posed for the picture. And finally, a picture of Sir Wilkes, the son who looked most like him, and a tiny newborn.

"That's my Will – he WAS the baby of the family until this new little Wilkes came along!" Sir Wilkes said proudly. "We're calling him Willie ..."

"You ... you must be very proud of them ..." Nanny murmured, passing the pictures back. She had lost her appetite completely. Again there was a silence which this time Nanny did not try to fill. What could she say ... to a MARRIED man? After pushing the rest of her food listlessly around her plate, she put her fork down.

"Would you care for dessert, Nanny?" Henry asked as he took her plate.

"No, thank you, no, no, no ..." All she wanted to do was escape up to her own suite and hide until her agony of shame and misery was somewhat bearable.

"Sir Wilkes?" Henry asked.

"No, thank you," Sir Wilkes replied. His voice sounded different, and when Nanny raised her eyes to his, she found him studying her perplexedly, as if he couldn't understand who she was or why she was sitting across from him.

Nanny's pain almost overwhelmed her, but she forced it back, furious that she had allowed herself to even BEGIN to think of this man in romantic terms. He had never given her any indication that her attraction was returned, although he had certainly been unfailingly polite with her for the last two years. What must he be thinking of her now? She couldn't bear to stay here any longer. "Sir Wilkes, I cannot apologize enough, but ... but I must go ..." Her voice wobbled and cracked. That was the last straw. Getting to her feet without waiting for his response, she turned and fled.

Hearing him calling her name across the lobby had her hesitating, but when Max chanced to open the elevator just as she arrived by the doors, Nanny slipped in, hoping that Sir Wilkes would stop his pursuit. She absolutely could not face him yet, for Lord's sake! Not until she had come to grips with the knowledge of his marriage.

Most unfortunately, Max heard Sir Wilkes' call to hold the elevator, and with a sense of inevitability, Nanny stiffened and kept her eyes on the floor as Sir Wilkes hurried in breathlessly and took up his usual position in the corner just behind her right shoulder.

"Thank you, Max," Sir Wilkes almost gasped. "I'm getting too old to go chasing about like this! Er, Nanny ...?" and she sensed him touching his hat as he gave a little bow. "Perhaps I might have a word with you in private? Er, when we get to our floor, of course!"

Nanny said nothing, but when they reached the sixteenth floor, Sir Wilkes took a firm hold of her elbow and escorted her off. The moment the elevator doors closed behind them, she shook free of him. "Kindly keep your hands to yourself, Sir Wilkes!" she almost spat at him. "Your wife would not appreciate your actions, for sure, sure, sure!"

Sir Wilkes stepped back in shock. "My ... my wife?"

"Have you forgotten her already? Oh, my Lord, you just SHOWED me her picture ... and called her your 'adored Kathleen' ... and now you've forgotten her? How very convenient!" Nanny tossed her head and headed for her room.

Before she got to the door, his hand again grasped her elbow and swung her back to face him. "Nanny, wait. Let me explain ..."

"Explain? Explain? Explain what, for Lord's sake? That you ...?" she paused. She couldn't accuse him of leading her on falsely ... he had never said or done much of anything to make her think he thought of her as anyone but the neighbour down the hall when he happened to see her! "That you ...?" Her voice trailed off as Sir Wilkes interrupted her.

"That I have a twin sister who has three sons I love as dearly as if they were my own?" Sir Wilkes spoke hastily. "A twin sister ... Kathleen?"

Nanny gasped. "A ... a SISTER?" She searched his eyes, looking for a sign that he was telling the truth.

Sir Wilkes, some bewilderment still evident in his expression, nodded vigorously. "Kathleen is my sister. Did you not see the resemblance in the picture? And ... and if you will come to my room, I can show you a picture of Kathleen and David the day they married, and more pictures proving that *I* am not married to her ... or indeed to ANYONE! Please, Nanny, please come and let me show you ..."

Her joy was almost as overwhelming as her pain had been. Now, however, she was worried that she had shown her innermost feelings too much. She managed a crooked smile. "That sounds rawther like 'come and see my etchings'..."

"Those, too!" he nodded, relaxing suddenly.

Sir Wilkes ushered her down the hallway and she waited while he opened the door and motioned her to go in first. Straight across from the doorway was an open cupboard with shelves holding a profusion of pictures. Sure enough, there was a wedding picture with a younger Sir Wilkes and a younger Kathleen, and the man Kathleen had married. There were many others of the family, and Nanny looked at them all silently, very aware of the man standing just behind her.

Then she turned to Sir Wilkes. "Oh, Sir Wilkes, once again I cannot apologize enough ..."

"Tell me, Nanny, do you really think I would have ..." He flushed a little, then finished quickly, "pursued you had I been married? Do I appear to be that sort of man?"

"Aoww, no, no, no! You have behaved like a perfect gentleman! That's why I was so ..." Nanny broke off, flushing herself. Had he really said he had ... pursued her? "I was ... surprised, that's all," she stammered.

"Ah."

"Well, I should go ..."

"Yes, perhaps you should, but ... but I wish you wouldn't. Not quite yet. We really do need to discuss tomorrow ..."

"Do we?" Nanny began to back away.

"What time are we to be waiting in the lobby?"

"I ... er ... I don't remember," she mumbled. "And you have the tickets."

"Right! I do!" He blushed and again fumbled in his pocket for his wallet. "Let me see ... seven o'clock!"

"Oh my stars, stars, stars! We'll have to be getting up before breakfast tomorrow, for sure, sure, sure!"

"Would you care to breakfast with me ...?"

"Thank you, Sir Wilkes, but you have done more than enough for me today ..." Nanny was firm. There was no way on earth she was going to face him early in the morning before she had a few cups of hot coffee, for Lord's sake! ESPECIALLY when she would be spending the entire day in his company on a BUS!

"No, thank YOU, ... Elizabeth Anne." He stepped a little closer and, almost before she was aware of his intentions, his lips were on hers in a fleeting kiss. Then, his face red, he hurried over to the door and held it open for her. "I'll see you in the morning ..."

Not daring to look at him again, Nanny inched past him, her lips still burning with his touch. When she was in her own suite once more, she held her hands to her mouth as she leaned back against the closed door. "Oh, my Lord ...!" she whispered to herself. "Oh my LORD!"

Trembling, she struggled to collect her scattered thoughts. First he had called her by name, then he had ... had KISSED her! What WAS it about Sir Wilkes that turned her from someone who had always rushed headlong after what she wanted, even when it was a mistake, into someone who felt shy, uncertain, and rawther lost?

O o O o O o To be continued.....


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks to Kiki's keeping Susan on track, the tour bus does not go back and forth across Manhattan all day the way it did in the first draft ... and if anyone notices any backtracking STILL happening, remember, Kiki TRIED, but Susan is city-geographically-challenged!!! lol Besides, anyone who knows so much about New York City should have written this story herself! So on to some of the morning part of the day tour!_

When Nanny's alarm clock went off the next morning, she groaned and burrowed her head into the pillow again. It was MUCH too early to go sightseeing, much, much, much! Then the telephone rang. Nanny leaned over and groped for the receiver with her eyes closed, almost dropping it before she managed to get it the right way to her ear and mouth. "H-hello?" she croaked.

"Good morning, Nanny! It's Bill! I understand you require your breakfast brought up earlier this morning because you and Sir Wilkes have a date at seven a.m.!"

"Oh my Lord, William, it is NOT a date!" Nanny, suddenly wide awake, sat up in bed with a start.

Bill chuckled. "Walter thought it sounded awfully like a date ... and Henry figured your supper together last night confirmed it! Not to mention Sir Wilkes himself when he ..."

"William, please, I ... that is, well, it's ..."

"It's okay, Nanny! I understand! It's early morning! I'll have your hot coffee up to you in a couple of minutes. Anything else besides your usual porridge?"

"No, thank you, William ..." Nanny said weakly, falling back on her pillows the moment she hung up the telephone. WHY had she had the brainwave to play tourist in New York City, WHY had Sir Wilkes wanted to accompany her ... and WHY had he kissed her last night so that she had stayed awake half the night re-living the brief touch, setting out what she wanted to wear and having a restless sleep for the remainder of the night dreaming about him, for Lord's sake?

Then, galvanized into action, she got up and amazingly enough was ready by the time Bill knocked on her door and wheeled in his trolley. He had left the door wide open, and Nanny walked over to close it, frowning slightly. Just as she got there, as happened so often, Sir Wilkes was walking up. This time, however, he stopped and smiled a little sheepishly.

"Good morning, Elizabeth Anne. I DO hope you weren't upset that I ..."

For a moment, Nanny wondered if he was addressing someone else, then the second half of his sentence registered. "Upset?"

"Oh, there you are, Sir Wilkes! Come in! Your tea is poured here, and Nanny, your coffee is ready!" Bill broke in. Nanny swung around to stare at him, then looked back at Sir Wilkes.

Sir Wilkes smiled deprecatingly. "When I telephoned my order in for room service, I, er, took the liberty of ordering your usual breakfast and asked if mine could be brought with it, then had Bill call you. Since we're to be downstairs in twenty minutes, I thought perhaps you wouldn't mind ..."

"Aoww, honestly, I need my coffee, for sure, sure, sure," Nanny muttered, giving up trying to figure out how men's minds worked. After her first half a cup of coffee, which she gulped as quickly as she could considering the heat, she began to almost be able to think again. Of course, her first thought was quite trivial, reflecting how absolutely thankful she was that she had dressed in her dark blue skirt and a flattering light blue silk blouse with a filmy patterned scarf to dress it up.

Wilkes looked around the suite as he ate. "I had forgotten that when Mr. Peabody was doing the renovations last fall, he put in a fireplace for you."

"Yes, Eloise begged for one so hard that the poor man had no choice. Lighting a fire on cold nights is absolutely divine, divine, divine!" Nanny murmured, spooning up her porridge.

"Perhaps I should have had him install one in MY suite," Wilkes sighed. Then he brightened. "Of course, now that spring finally has come, it won't be necessary, will it?"

O o O o O o

By seven o'clock, Sir Wilkes and Nanny were waiting by the front door of the Plaza for the tour bus to arrive. There was a small group of young people who looked to be in their late teens or early twenties milling around as well, obviously all waiting for the same tour. Nanny still had not had a chance to ask Sir Wilkes privately WHY he had called her by her REAL name! She had mixed feelings about it ... pleased that he had actually remembered her name, yet concerned that he was trying to think of her as someone other than merely 'Nanny'!

"So you two are off to see the sights today, Sir Wilkes?" Charlie, the doorman, said in a loud voice to Sir Wilkes, who reddened slightly and nodded. "Well, you've got a beautiful day for it!"

One of the younger people looked over with interest at Nanny and Sir Wilkes, then whispered something to his companions who all turned to stare wide-eyed. Nanny, feeling somewhat out of place, clutched her purse tightly in her gloved hands and edged a little closer to Sir Wilkes. Without missing a beat in the conversation he had started with Charlie, Sir Wilkes put his hand under Nanny's elbow and drew her nearer.

Just then the bus arrived, and they all headed outside. By tacit agreement, the six young people hung back to allow Sir Wilkes to assist Nanny up the steps into the bus. As the Plaza was only the second pick-up place for tour passengers, there were plenty of empty seats. Sir Wilkes told Nanny to choose whichever side she wanted, and in a moment she was beside the window and he was settling into the seat beside her. To their amazement, the group of young people did not move further away from them, but rather took the seats right in front of them, across the aisle from them and just ahead of those two.

Nanny tried to still her thumping heart at the heat of Sir Wilkes' body all down one side of her own, but there was no way she could slide over any more. Besides, although it was causing her a mild heart attack, she was loving it! Now if only she could find her tongue and her usual personality, she might manage to at least make him thankful that he had come on the tour with her! Sternly giving herself a talking to, she didn't realize that the young people were still eying them both speculatively.

Then the young man who had first looked at them in the lobby leaned across the aisle from his own seat and said, "Excuse me, sir, but are you really a knight? That guy back there called you SIR Wilkes! A REAL knight?"

Sir Wilkes looked surprised, then smiled faintly. "Yes, I suppose I am. In my case, however, it is a hereditary title. I was not knighted for valorous deeds but rather for being the eldest son in my family when my father passed on."

One of the girls just ahead of the boy turned around at that point, to stare at Sir Wilkes adoringly. He began to blush faintly, as Nanny observed with interest. "A real knight ..." the girl breathed. "And ... and your husband is such a HANDSOME man!" she added approvingly, looking at Nanny. "I guess if he is SIR Wilkes, you are LADY Wilkes?"

"Naow!" Nanny denied it instantly. She was about to say more, but Sir Wilkes covered her hand with his and spoke quickly before she could gather her thoughts which had scattered when he had taken her hand in his.

"Wilkes is my given name," he informed the girl. "This is Na– er, ... Elizabeth Anne. Rather than saying Lady Wilkes, the proper form of address is Lady Elizabeth Anne."

A jolt ran through Nanny's body when the girl smiled at her again and said, "Sorry, Lady Elizabeth Anne. I don't know too much about the English aristocracy. I've never talked to a real knight or lady before. I'm Virginia."

"Please call me Nanny, Virginia!" Nanny said quickly. "That's what people call me most of the time, for sure, sure, sure!"

"Nice to keep your full name just for your husband's use then!" the first boy said. "So people call you Lady Nanny? I'm John, by the way, Lady Nanny."

Nanny opened her mouth to correct John, but just then the tour guide interrupted. "We have just a few more stops to make to pick up the remainder of our group, but in the meantime, I'd like to point out that we are presently going past Central Park, which is the ..."

The tour guide continued to talk and the young people turned their attention to the front, leaving Nanny and Sir Wilkes to themselves. Nanny sat primly and almost tensely by his side, both hands clasped tightly over the large black purse on her lap, staring steadfastly out the window while she wondered why Sir Wilkes had introduced her as Elizabeth Anne and even more importantly, why he had not corrected the young people as to their relationship. Now the others were assuming that she and Sir Wilkes were MARRIED, for Lord's sake! An unexpected thought popped into her mind, and she smiled involuntarily. In less than twenty-four hours, Sir Wilkes had been endowed with no less than TWO wives! Quite a feat for a bachelor!

"Do you really prefer to be Nanny?" Sir Wilkes questioned her softly, startling her. "Elizabeth Anne is a lovely name, but if you would rather I use Nanny, then ..."

Nanny turned to him, her eyes soft. "I've been Nanny for so many years," she said frankly, speaking in an undertone as he was so they would not be overheard, "that I almost think you're talking to someone else when you call me Elizabeth Anne." She chewed her lip for a moment, then added hesitantly, "Are you ... are you ashamed to call me Nanny?"

Sir Wilkes looked puzzled. "Ashamed? Ashamed of your NAME? Why would I ...?" He studied her for a moment, and she flushed and looked out the window again. "Tosh, tosh, tosh!" he said at last. "You are much too self-conscious, Nanny! I am rather inclined to think that Eloise was right when she told me that you thought I was above your station! While I am immensely flattered, I DO feel that you are terribly wrong! As for your name, if you will allow it, I do believe that I will call you Nanny as a general rule and will reserve the use of your given name for special times."

Nanny's mouth dropped open in surprise, then she snapped it shut again before she said something she might regret later. Inwardly she was questioning just what he thought he meant by 'special times'! "I ... I suppose I don't mind ..."

"And would you ... would you consider calling me Wilkes instead of SIR Wilkes?"

Clenching her fingers even more tightly around her purse, Nanny nodded cautiously. "I'll try, W-Wilkes," she promised. "I can't say more than that, for sure, sure, sure."

He smiled widely, his eyes crinkling up delightfully at the corners, and confided, "I won't even mind if you call me Willie again as you did at Christmas, although I must warn you that I will be thinking of my grand-nephew!"

"And Will is your nephew, so THAT nickname is no good either," Nanny added with a chuckle herself.

Looking pleased, Wilkes said, "You remembered!"

The bus stopped at that point to pick up more tourists. The young women just ahead of Nanny and Sir Wilkes got up on their knees and looked over the back of the seat. "Sir Wilkes and Lady Nanny?" one girl said, "I'm Vicky."

"And I'm Jean," the other girl said.

Vicky continued. "We're with the others ... a group of history and archaeology college students. Sir Wilkes, are you a baronet? I studied royalty and peerage in the United Kingdom a long time ago, and have been trying to figure out the right designations for all the titles."

"Yes, Vicky, I am a baronet."

"It's so wonderful to meet you!" Vicky gushed. "And you, too, Lady Nanny! Don't you just love New York? How long are you staying? Don't you think this is just the best tour? I mean, we get to see the sights downtown, then go to the Statue of Liberty and then we're supposed to get to the top of the Empire State Building after dark so we can see the city lights! That should be so romantic, don't you think?"

"Er, perhaps it will be ..." Wilkes' voice sounded a little strained, and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

Suddenly Nanny resolved to enjoy the day AND the situation to the best of her ability. She wickedly edged a little closer to him and patted his knee while she spoke to the girls, enunciating carefully, "We have not been married long, so Wilkes is still rawther shy ..."

Both Vicky and Jean broke into huge smiles. "WOW! I bet you're on your honeymoon, aren't you?" Excitedly they turned and shared the news with the others before Nanny OR Wilkes could say a word.

Wilkes turned to Nanny, a helpless look on his face, and she had a hard time restraining her boisterous laughter. Arching her eyebrows, she looked at him as if daring him to contradict the impression she had given the girls. Wilkes' face changed, and she had the feeling he had just taken up her unspoken challenge. She jerked her hand away from his leg, but he entrapped it in his own hand and brought her gloved fingers to his lips. Leaning closer and with a definite glint in his eye, he whispered, "I like a good challenge." His breath was warm on her cheek as he spoke into her ear. "And I don't give up easily. If that's the game you want to play, Nanny, I'm more than willing to play along!"

Nanny couldn't think of a good retort to that. In fact, she couldn't really think, period. As she stared into his eyes which had darkened with emotion, her heart was pounding so hard she was afraid everyone on the bus would hear it. Yes indeed, this would prove a most interesting day!

O o O o O o

Never having been in love with a woman, it had taken Wilkes a while before he had realized what had been happening to him since Eloise had set up that first 'tea date' between himself and Nanny. He had told himself all those months since that he was just getting to know Nanny better, that they were just friends ... but after she had kissed his cheek under the Christmas tree, he could no longer lie to himself. He should have known that the inevitable would happen the first time he had seen her laughing with Eloise!

Now, months after their first sight of each other, Wilkes knew he adored Nanny's sense of fun, her lively personality and her innate intelligence. If he had to use one word to describe Nanny, it would be 'vivid'. She made everything around her more vivid and more alive ... including him. He hadn't entirely been teasing Nanny when he had told her just now that if she planned to act as if they were married, he was more than willing to do the same. He, too, saw it as a challenge. For him, the challenge would be to make her realize that the time they had now to spend with each other had to be lived to its fullest, and that when the week was over, a decision would have to be made with regards to their future relationship. He had to make her accept that he loved her for who she was and hopefully she would admit the same about him.

There was not much time for talking amongst themselves for the first few hours on the bus as the tour guide kept up a steady stream of talking, telling about the buildings that were passed, the history of various parts of New York City, and, when they got into the heart of Broadway, something about each show as they moved slowly down the street.

"Look, Si ... er, Wilkes," Nanny stammered over his name, then pressed on as she waved at the marquee on the Mark Hellinger Theater they were approaching. "The show My Fair Lady! It just opened last week. I'd absolutely LOVE to see that, for sure, sure, sure! Rex Harrison is a wonderful actor! And the young British actress who is starring in it with him ... Julie Andrews? I understand she has an absolutely divine voice. Have you seen or heard of her?"

"I saw her in The Boyfriend, and was most impressed." Wilkes nodded. Then and there, he decided to ask Walter tonight to try to get him two tickets to the play ... tomorrow, if possible! He could take Nanny out for dinner first, then they could go to the show ...

"Oh, look! Mr. Wonderful is opening tonight!" another voice cried out as they passed the Broadway Theatre.

Excited babble rose from all over the tour bus as different people spotted different theatres with shows that were of particular interest to them. Vicky, just ahead of Wilkes and Nanny, pointed out with great glee the giant billboard in Times Square advertising Camel cigarettes. "My father says that sign is the ONLY thing he remembers about Times Square from when he and Mom were here in 1954!"

Nanny smiled when she saw the smoke rings actually coming out of the mouth of the person on the billboard. "Absolutely amazing," she agreed.

"I wonder how they do that?" Wilkes mused.

"Blow smoke rings or have them coming out of a sign?" John leaned across the aisle and grinned. "Beats me how they get them to come from the sign, but I can show you how to blow smoke rings when we're having our picnic lunch on the island!"

"Thank you," Wilkes said politely, "but I do know how. At least, I used to ... when I smoked my pipe."

"You quit?" John looked surprised. "I thought that smoking a pipe was something all English gentlemen did! You know, smoking the pipe, wearing the tweed jacket ..." and he eyed Wilkes before grinning and saying, "and wearing the derby!"

Wilkes smiled. "It's called a bowler in England," he said, patting his rounded hat. "I quit smoking a pipe a number of years ago ... and my tweed jacket is in my closet!"

"Well, you look like the proper English lady, anyway," Jean assured Nanny, "with your hat and gloves on!"

"That's because she is a VERY proper English lady!" Wilkes chuckled, and his fingers tightened around hers which he had continued to hold.

"Aoww, Wilkes ..." she protested feebly, only weakly trying to free her hand.

"Hey, Lady Nanny, Sir Wilkes! Check out this place!" cried the young man seated beside John.

At that point, as everyone was craning to look out the one side of the bus, the tour guide announced that they were coming to the Rockefeller Center, and would first be touring the Radio City Music Hall which, at its completion date in 1932, was the largest and most opulent theater in the world. Following that short tour, they would go up to the Observation Deck on the top floor of the RCA building. Many people on the bus cheered at that, since it was a glorious day and there was some chance of seeing a fair bit of the city from the top.

When the bus stopped not far from the Radio City Music Hall, they all filed out. The six young people, rather surprisingly, stayed close to Wilkes and Nanny ... having adopted them, in a sense, it appeared. Nanny had realized quickly that she and Wilkes were the oldest people on the tour by easily twenty years, and was pleased that the college students were interested enough to keep walking and talking with them.

It didn't take long before she knew all their names: John, Jim, Bob, Jean, Vicky and Virginia. Wilkes merely chuckled softly and patted Nanny's hand resting in his arm when they were teased about being newly weds, at THEIR age! "It happened very quickly, but from the moment she agreed to be Lady Elizabeth Anne, we've never looked back."

"True, true, true ..." Nanny agreed, and her eyes twinkled at him. "Although there have been times, I'm sure, that you have wondered just what you got yourself into!"

Vicky sighed. "It SO obvious how in love you are ..."

Nanny's fingers tightened slightly on Wilkes' arm, but she merely smiled at Vicky, avoiding Wilkes' gaze. Clearing her throat, she looked pointedly around at the magnificent sculptures, and the painting adorning the walls, and said, "This place is absolutely divine, for sure, sure, sure!"

As they walked around the large theater, Nanny found herself the recipient of the girls' confidences as they whispered how much they liked John, Jim and Bob, but weren't sure the boys really liked them.

Nanny smiled, thinking of herself at that age, then said, "Well, I know a little six-year-old girl who is constantly reminding me to SAY what I'm feeling. When we first realized that Sir Wilkes lived down the hall from us, Eloise kept telling me to SAY something to Sir Wilkes ... to invite him for tea or something. But she was the one to finally send me an invitation and sign HIS name on it!"

"CUTE!" Jean almost squealed. "She sounds ADORABLE! Is she your grand-daughter?"

Wilkes looked around at the point, having heard Nanny talking about Eloise.

"No," Nanny said softly, "but I suppose she might have been, had things been different ..." Her eyes were suddenly shadowed as she stared ahead, lost in thought. The young women were quiet and thoughtful, as if realizing they shouldn't ask any more questions.

Wilkes, determined to bring the sunshine back, said heartily, "Nanny couldn't love Eloise more if they WERE related by blood, and Eloise told me once that she loves Nanny best in the world next to her mother!"

"She did?" Nanny looked at him, and her eyes brightened.

"She did." Wilkes confirmed with a nod. "When she was telling me that I was to woo you with flowers, preferably roses ..."

"How romantic!" sighed Vicky. "So did you fill Lady Nanny's room with roses?"

"Er, no ... not yet ..." Wilkes stammered. "I had thought I would ..."

"I'd love to see your ring, Lady Nanny, please?" Virginia begged.

"First I want to hear about your wedding!" Jean interjected.

To Nanny's profound relief, which she saw reflected in Wilkes' eyes when they sought hers, the tour guide gathered them all together again to move on to the RCA building. Her ring? Oh my Lord! What was she going to tell them? She HAD no ring! Nanny cringed inwardly, and some of the enjoyment of the day seemed to ebb. When they stepped out onto the top of the seventy storey building, it was rather disappointing that it was not possible to see as much as they would have thought. Everything around seemed gray, with just a few gray buildings which stood out from a fog which hung over the top even though the sun had been very bright at street level.

The tour guide gave the usual speech. "John D. Rockefeller, Jr. first opened this deck on top of the building in 1933, to give something back to New Yorkers and their guests from around the world - a place to appreciate and celebrate the city. The Observation Deck's original design was inspired by the decks of the great ocean liners of the era - complete with deck chairs, gooseneck fixtures and vents inspired by a ship's stacks. A trip to the Observation Deck is like setting sail in the heart of the world's most dynamic city. From here, on a good day, you can enjoy an unobstructed, 360-degree view, which stretches for miles in every direction, including a panorama of Central Park and the northern half of Manhattan that can't be found anywhere else. It was on this building that Charles Ebbets took his famous photograph in 1932 of workers lunching on a steel beam without harnesses with an 850 feet drop below."

Nanny shuddered even as the girls squealed in horror. Even some of the young men stepped back from the edge where they had been trying to see over to the street below.

"Lady Nanny and Sir Wilkes, may I take your picture?" John asked. "It won't be as famous as Ebbets' picture, but I'd like it to remember today by. I'll send you one, too, if you want!"

"I'd be honoured," Wilkes beamed, straightening up at Nanny's side.

"Put your ARM around her!" Jean begged. "Let's make it a REALLY romantic picture! That's better!"

Nanny smiled weakly, feeling the warmth of Wilkes' arm firmly around her waist. She gripped her purse with both hands, wishing she had the nerve to put her arm around HIM as well.

Jean looked over at Nanny. "This IS all right with you, isn't it, Lady Nanny? You haven't said anything ..."

Nanny tried to instil some enthusiasm into her voice as she said, "Aoww, I don't mind, for sure, sure, sure ..."

"Don't bother taking too many pictures up HERE," Bob advised John. "Too gray. Wait until we get out onto the ferry ... and over on the island! We have three hours there, and the picnic lunch."

"BRILLIANT!" Virginia exclaimed again.

"How about one kiss up here – you know ... on top of one of the highest places in New York City, the dashing Sir Wilkes steals a kiss from his blushing bride ..." Vicky suggested.

Nanny felt her face heating up, and she involuntarily jerked in Sir Wilkes' hold. His arm tightened around her, however, and he covered the moment by kissing her cheek lightly.

"Oh, PLEASE!" Jean sounded disgusted. "Can't you do better than THAT?"

"A REAL kiss, please!" demanded Virginia. "Ready to take the picture, John?"

"I ... er ..." Wilkes' uncertain gaze met Nanny's, and her heart turned over in her chest. "Elizabeth Anne?"

"Oh my sainted Aunt Fanny!" she whispered, the sound of her name in his deep, husky voice making her melt once more. "I must say, it appears we're in too deep to back out now ..." and she leaned closer to him.

His lips covered hers, softly lingering and beguiling her until Nanny closed her eyes and felt as if she would float away on a cloud of happiness.

"Lady Nanny! Sir Wilkes! Come on! We're GOING!"

The calls and laughter of the young people brought Nanny and Wilkes abruptly out of their embrace, and, red-faced, they rejoined the tour group. Wilkes had gone up and murmured something to the tour guide before returning to his seat beside Nanny, and while the bus was going down Fifth Avenue and everyone was sighing over the stores to be seen, the guide informed them that they would be stopping for half an hour in order for everyone to do a little shopping at the store of their choice. Nanny and Wilkes stepped down from the bus with everyone else, then, before Nanny was really aware of what was happening, Wilkes had whisked her back down the street to the store the bus had just passed ... Tiffany's!

"Oh, my Lord!" Nanny breathed, looking wide-eyed around.

Wilkes, however, was on a mission. When a man greeted them and asked if he could help, Wilkes said rapidly, "Yes, we need an engagement and wedding ring within fifteen minutes. Can you help?"

"Certainly, Sir. Madam. Come this way, please."

"Wilkes!" Nanny cried. "What are you ...?"

"You heard them, Nanny! They expect to see rings on your finger when you take off your gloves!" Wilkes said, urging her to follow the man.

"I'll ... I'll just keep the gloves on all day!" Nanny resisted.

"Not while you eat," he insisted. "If you won't choose one yourself, Nanny, I will buy the biggest, gaudiest, ugliest and most expensive rings I can find!"

"Oh for Lord's sake!" Comforting herself with the knowledge that the rings could be returned the next day, she agreed to choose. And after all, it was FUN to look at some of the most beautiful rings she had ever seen in her life. The array that was brought out, however, stunned her into immobility. She could never choose, not in such a short time!

"Nanny? Nanny, which one do you like?" Wilkes asked.

"I can't do this ..." she said hoarsely.

Wilkes was not dismayed in the slightest. He looked over the tray, then reached for a yellow gold filigree band set with a heart-shaped diamond flanked by two sapphires. "This is the one, I think." Taking her limp left hand, he peeled off her glove and tried the ring on her finger. It was a perfect fit. Nanny's eyes widened and she tried to surreptitiously tug her hand away from his. He held onto her fingers firmly. "And now a wedding ring."

"This is the matching band for that ring, Sir," the jeweller said respectfully, passing Wilkes a band.

Wilkes slipped the band on Nanny's finger. It, too, fit.

"Usually the wedding band is worn first on the finger, and the engagement ring on the outside," the jeweller pointed out as he noticed Wilkes picking up Nanny's glove.

"Wedding ring first. Right." Wilkes slid the rings off hurriedly, then put the wedding band on first, followed by the engagement ring. Then he lifted Nanny's hand to his lips and kissed her fingers, which she clenched over his in protest.

"Wilkes, no, not these! You can't ...!" she began to whisper, uneasy at the thought of the cost of the rings now gracing her left hand. The stones were wonderful bits of glass and looked genuine, for Lord's sake! Much too lovely for the likes of HER.

"Don't you like them?" he asked worriedly.

"They're absolutely divine, divine, divine," Nanny replied, eyeing them regretfully. How she wished they were for REAL, and not for show! "But honestly, you mustn't..."

"Tosh, tosh, tosh! Here's your glove, Elizabeth Anne ... I'll be with you in a moment. Would you like to pick out a necklace and earrings to match?"

"No, no, NO!" Nanny was truly horrified at the suggestion. She backed away and pulled on her glove, studiously avoiding looking at the rings which suddenly felt like heavy fetters on her finger. Oh, this tour was not turning out ANYTHING like she had planned! However, for all the emotional turmoil she was enduring, she had to admit one thing. She most certainly was not bored!

O o O o O o To be continued.....


	3. Chapter 3

Determined to pay attention to the sights rather than each other, they studiously avoided unnecessary touches and glances for the next couple of hours while the bus wound through the streets of New York, pointing out Carnegie Hall, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Grand Central Station, Greenwich Village, the Guggenheim Museum in SoHo, Little Italy, the Woolworth building, Trinity Church, the financial district, Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange, and made the occasional quick stop for pictures. Then the bus arrived at Battery Park where Castle Clinton, an old Fort that had been built in 1812, was still standing. Everyone got off the bus to wait for the ferry to dock. They were all handed bagged lunches at that point, and told that if they wished to supplement their meal, there was a cafeteria on the island.

The tour guide managed to keep their bus group all together and once the crowd who had already been over to Bedloe Island were off the ferry, their group was allowed to get on first. Although the guide had told them that the best views of the city were from the harbour and they would see some marvellous sights if they stayed near the back, most of the group went up the stairs to the top deck to the front of the ferry to watch as they drew near the island where the Statue of Liberty was gleaming in the sunshine.

Patiently the guide answered questions as to the colour of the statue, explaining that Lady Liberty was green because the copper out of which she had been fashioned had naturally oxidized to form the green coating. "This patina is as thick, in many places, as the copper behind it and is protecting the copper from naturally wearing away," he concluded.

"I kinda expected her to be bigger!" Bob mused, his eyes on the statue ahead as the ferry moved steadily through the water. "I've never come out here. Is this your first time, Sir Wilkes and Lady Nanny?"

"No ..." they both answered at once, and smiled at each other. Then Wilkes added, taking Nanny's hand in his, "but it's our first time together."

"Hold that pose!" John sang out, and took another picture of the two of them.

Jean clapped her hands. "Perfect! I just LOVE the look on Lady Nanny's face when Sir Wilkes says something like that. Why, you ALMOST look as if you still can't quite believe that he is your husband!" and she laughed.

When they stepped onto the docks, they were welcomed, "for perhaps the last time, to Bedloe Island. The name of this island is to be changed shortly to Liberty Island, a more fitting name."

The tour guide led his group directly to the statue. "We'll tour inside first, then you can have the next few hours to eat your lunch and explore wherever you wish. You may eat inside or outside," he explained as they walked into the pedestal.

Single-file, the group climbed the circular stairs. Nanny began to count as she climbed, but soon had to stop as she was too busy forcing one foot in front of the other. It was only the encouragement of the young people and Sir Wilkes' heavy breathing behind her that kept her moving. When they finally got to the crown, as Nanny and Wilkes were leaning against a wall panting and trying to slow their heart beat, the tour guide announced that there were 354 steps to reach the crown.

"Oh my Lord!" Nanny gasped, holding her hand to her side. "Eloise runs up and down the stairs at the Plaza every day, but I don't know HOW she does it, for sure, sure, sure!"

"Have you been up HERE before?" Jean asked, bouncing from one window to another to look out.

"Not me. I sent Eloise up on her own," Nanny shook her head.

"I was up a few years ago," Wilkes said. "I don't recall the climb as being as strenuous then as it was today!"

"Aoww, you're just much older now, Willy, much, much, much!" Nanny grinned at him.

"Ooh, come and see the view, Lady Nanny! All across the harbour ... there are a lot of boats out there today! And doesn't the water look pretty with the sun sparkling on it?" Virginia beckoned to them.

"Can we get right up to the torch?" Jim asked the guide, who shook his head.

"No. Many people think they HAVE been up there, but the torch has been closed since an explosion on July 30, 1916, which was one of the largest acts of sabotage to our nation prior to the event of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Now only staff can go up into the torch, and they have to climb a narrow forty-foot ladder to do so."

After they had all seen what they could, the trek back down was accomplished in much less time than the climb up. Since it was such a lovely day, Nanny and Wilkes elected to take their lunch to one of the picnic areas their new friends had pointed out from the top of the statue.

"The sun is rawther warm, now," Nanny said, drawing off her gloves and unbuttoning her coat. She slipped it off, wrapped it inside out and set it on the grass, then collapsed on top of it somewhat ungracefully. "I'm all done in!"

The others did the same, taking off their coats and using them as blankets on the grass. As they ate, they continued to visit, and look around with great interest as they studied the view of the harbour and open sea on one side, New York City across the water on another side, and New Jersey's shore quite close on yet another side. Stretching out her legs in front of her when she had finished eating, Nanny took off her hat and dropped it on the ground beside her, pushing back some of the flyaway strands of hair that had pulled out of her bun.

Jean stretched out her legs, too, tugging her skirt up over her knees to get the sun on her legs. "Just LOOK how pale my legs are!" she lamented.

Nanny laughed, and unthinkingly said, "You don't know pale until you've seen MY thighs!"

Wilkes turned promptly at that, his eyebrows raised, and Nanny wanted to throw herself headlong into the ocean and never come up. He chuckled and said, "But I LIKE your thighs!"

Vicky clapped her hands over her ears and shrieked with laughter, saying, "I'm too young to hear this!"

"Not that I've seen your thighs, of course!" Wilkes amended promptly, then blushed even redder than Nanny. They WERE supposed to be married. "What I meant was ... I love every inch ... of Nanny! ... ALL of her! ... so it stands to reason that I'd like ...." His voice trailed off as he realized he was babbling in his embarrassment. The young people were all laughing and teasing them now.

Nanny broke in to rescue him. Patting her hips, she said complacently, "I must say, it's a good thing you love every inch of me, because there are quite a few inches of me to love, for Lord's sake! I am NOT a bathing beauty by any stretch of the imagination!"

"I think it's great that neither of you is too old to be frisky, as my mother would say!" Bob laughed. Then he added, "And talking about beauties, I'm an archaeology student, and I've decided that, because back in the stone age all of the figures in statues and drawings have ample bottoms, often deliberately over-emphasized by the original artists, prehistoric man must have prized ample butts as a sign of wealth and most probably desirability as well!"

Nanny grinned. "Aoww, I'd have been right in fashion then, for sure, sure, sure!" Nanny could be a perfect lady in public, but when she felt safe enough to let her guard down as she did with these young people, she could show a somewhat wicked, bawdy side of her personality.

"Lady Nanny, how long is your hair?" Vicky asked suddenly.

"How ... my hair?" Nanny stared at Vicky, nonplussed.

"Ask Sir Wilkes ... bet HE would answer!" Bob grinned.

"Bob!" Virginia pushed at him when Wilkes' face turned bright red again. "You're embarrassing the poor man! Why don't you guys go play a game of football or something for about half an hour ... We've got things to do here!"

With a grunt, Jim lay back on the grass. "I'd rather sleep, actually," he confessed. When Jean threw a fistful of grass at him, he grinned and said good-naturedly, "Aww, c'mon ... can I stay if I keep my EYES shut?"

"Only if you all keep your eyes AND mouths shut!" Jean said.

"What are you planning?" Nanny asked warily.

"Since we're supposed to be going to a nice restaurant for supper, we're going to give you a makeover, if you'll let us ... so you'll look even MORE gorgeous than you do now!" Virginia beamed.

Nanny burst out laughing. "ME? Gorgeous? I'm afraid you'll need a long, long, long time to accomplish THAT miracle!"

"Well, you know that new show on Broadway that everyone's raving about? My Fair Lady? Julie Andrews supposedly gets a makeover and is beautiful at the end ... and if a dirty flowergirl can be taken as a princess, we can easily make a breathtaking Lady out of one who is already attractive enough!" Vicky nodded emphatically.

"You'll let us, right?" Jean begged, and before Nanny could nod or shake her head, the girls converged on her and gently pulled her hairpins out so her hair tumbled down on her shoulders.

"Now, how are we going to do the hair?" Virginia asked the others. "Just a plain bun or can we do a French pleat?"

"What about one of those intricate braided ones? It's probably long enough!" Vicky suggested.

"And is it going to be low or high on her head?" Jean mused.

Bob and John groaned and got to their feet. "We're outa here. You coming, Jim? Sir Wilkes?"

"Most assuredly," Sir Wilkes stood up and dusted off his trousers, but his eyes remained fixed on Nanny's flushed face. Then he looked at the girls fussing over her, and added mildly, "Although I do admit that I thought she was ... lovely the way she was... you know ...."

"Oh, pooh! NATURALLY you would think that! You married her!" Virginia scoffed. "Run along, Sir Wilkes! You won't even know her when you see her again!"

"I ..." Nanny began, but Wilkes over-rode her.

"I do hope you are wrong about that," he said gravely, and, replacing his hat on his head, he walked away with the boys.

"So," Jean said, her fingers busy with a comb. "Tell us about your first date with Sir Wilkes. Please? I love hearing the stories of how people met and fell in love!"

Smiling, Nanny told them about the tea invitation she had thought had been sent by Wilkes, and how she had inadvertently interrupted the cosy tea that Mrs. Daniels had planned to have with him. The girls shrieked with laughter when Nanny acted out the entire scene, from the beginning when a mortified Nanny had realized that Eloise had sent the invitation to when Mrs. Daniels had stormed out of the restaurant and Wilkes had gone after her while Nanny took Eloise's turtle back up to their suite. "I suppose you could say our second date was that night, when Wilkes and I danced most of the dances together at the Debutante Ball. Not that I was a debutante, no, no, no," she added hastily, "but ..."

"Is Sir Wilkes a good dancer?" asked Virginia.

"Divine, divine, divine ..." murmured Nanny, lost in her memories.

"You two should go to the Rainbow Room in the Rockefeller Center for dinner and dancing tomorrow," Virginia suggested. "It's on the sixty-fifth floor where we were this morning. I was reading about it. You can get a great meal, and there's a live band and a revolving dance floor! I think it would be SO romantic!"

"It sure would!" agreed Vicky and Jean.

"Why don't you all go?" asked Nanny.

"Us?" The three laughed. "We're poor college students! And unfortunately, so are our boyfriends!"

"I'll probably never even get to PEEK into a place like the Rainbow Room for years!" Jean lamented.

"That's why we're living vicariously today through you and Sir Wilkes," added Vicky.

Nervously, Nanny pushed back some of the strands of hair that were still blowing into her face. The girls caught sight of the rings glinting on Nanny's hand, and shrieked with delight. They exclaimed over the romance of the heart-shaped diamond and how the blue of the sapphires exactly matched Nanny's eyes. Eying the rings wistfully, wishing with all her heart they could be real and truly reflect Sir Wilkes' feelings for her, Nanny sighed as she noticed the condition of her hands for the first time. Although she could do nothing about the unsightly arthritic knuckles, she COULD be using a hand cream to smooth the skin, for sure, sure, sure! 'Lady' Nanny she most certainly was not! She pulled on her gloves hastily, not wanting to be reminded of her shortcomings any further. Then she sat still for what seemed like forever until the girls announced they had finished her 'makeover'. They very carefully set her blue hat on top of the elaborate chignon they had fashioned, and warned her to take extreme caution when removing the hat at dinner.

Getting up and shaking the grass bits from their skirts and coats, the women began to stroll around to look for the men, finding them down at the docks looking at the ferry that was heading back toward New York City.

"Nanny." Wilkes took her arm and looked her over quickly, and his eyes expressed his approval. "You look ... lovely," he said, blushing faintly. Then he looked at Jean, Virginia and Vicky. "You three did a wonderful job."

"Thanks, Sir Wilkes!" the three beamed at him. Then Virginia said slyly, "Don't you and your lady want to go somewhere private for a while?"

"Private? Oh! Right! Somewhere private ... and we must arrange it ..." Wilkes stammered.

"We've been hanging around you way too much today," Jean said, chagrined. "I'm sorry. You're on your honeymoon! Of COURSE you meant to spend it together, just the two of you!"

"Of course, if you had REALLY wanted to do that, you'd never have left your room this morning!" Bob grinned.

"Bob!" Vicky and Jean chorused in outrage while Nanny and Wilkes both reddened faintly.

"We can be alone anytime," Nanny said almost desperately. Yes, she had originally planned to come on this tour all by herself, but Wilkes and the six young people had added SO much more to the experience than she had ever imagined.

"Maybe just a short time?" Wilkes' adoring look had to be an act, Nanny thought inwardly. Yet it unnerved her, being much too sincere ... much, much, much!

By tacit agreement, the six young people strolled away in one direction while Nanny and Wilkes walked circumspectly in another. The ocean was wild, the tide hitting the shore with a resounding harshness as if a storm were brewing somewhere out to sea. Nanny's heart echoed that same pounding, her doubts hitting hard against the need to find out what was going on between her and this man. Then, without speaking, Wilkes caught her arm and tugged her close to him in the shelter of a large lilac bush. His hands cupped her face, and he kissed her ... a firm, close-mouthed kiss that sent her senses reeling.

O o O o O o

For the rest of the afternoon, Nanny and Wilkes held hands as they walked around the small island and viewed the Statue of Liberty from every angle. They waited at the bottom for their six new friends to run up to the crown again, neither one being up to the strenuous climb for the second time in one day. When they were back on the ferry heading towards Manhattan, Nanny stood against the rail and gloried in Wilkes' arms around her, his hands holding onto the railing on either side of her hands, his body warm against her back.

Back on the bus, they continued to hold hands as they paid attention to the tour guide and obediently looked at the varied sights out of the window: the Brooklyn Bridge, the Konfizius Statue, the Mahayana Buddhist Temple, the Golden Statue, the Flatiron Building, New York Public Library where the original Declaration of Independence and a letter of Christopher Columbus were housed, Macy's and Madison Square Garden. When Nanny heard the guide talking about the boxing matches that were held there, she became rawther excited, hoping in vain to see one of her favourite boxers just standing around outside.

The busload of tourists ate their evening meal in a very nice restaurant, finishing off with a deliciously sweet liqueur. Nanny had blushed vividly when she had taken off her hat and Wilkes had viewed her hair which the girls had worked to style that afternoon. His expression, his whispered "Magnificent! You seem more ... lovely than ever!" and his light kiss on her cheek had thrilled her. Taking off her gloves, Nanny had once more become very aware of the rings on her left hand, having gotten so used to the feel of them on her finger that she had almost forgotten about them. Seeing them flash in the light had drawn her attention, and she had self-consciously put her hand in her lap ... only to have Wilkes, who was seated on her left side, take her hand in his and stroke it with his thumb while he continued to eat and converse as if nothing were amiss. Nanny quite lost her appetite for the second dinner in a row, being far too conscious of his gentle touch. She idly wondered what had gotten into him to behave this way, for Lord's sake!

Following their meal, they were taken to the Empire State Building, and informed about the rivalry between the Observation Deck on the RCA Building and the two observation decks on the Empire State Building, a rivalry which had existed as long as the buildings had both stood. Then they got onto one of the many elevators and were whisked to the eighty-sixth floor to the first and most impressive observation level, from which they had an impressive 360-degree view of the city, from both inside and out. They all stepped outside immediately, and the warmth from the spring sun lingered on the concrete around them.

"What a sight!" breathed John. "What a fantastic light show! Good thing we came up here when the sun was down! Don't those car lights moving way down there make it look magical?"

"Simply spectacular!" agreed Vicky, awed by the multi-coloured lights visible all over the city. "With all the lights from the houses and apartments and even offices, and the street lights ... AND the cars. WOW!"

The guide spoke clearly so everyone could hear him while they were all still exclaiming over the beauty they were viewing. "The fence around this observatory terrace was put up in 1947 after five people tried to jump off the building over a three-week span. Also, you might not be aware of it, but static electricity buildup is so mammoth on top of the Building that, under the right conditions, if you stick your hand through the observatory fence, St. Elmo's fire will stream from your fingertips."

"I've GOT to try that!" Bob said instantly, and put his hand out. Sure enough, light was visible. Instantly everyone was trying it.

The guide added with a chuckle, "and lovers who kiss up here may find their lips crackling with electric sparks."

"Sir Wilkes and Lady Nanny!" Virginia squealed. "How much more romantic can you get? TRY IT!"

"I ... er ... oh yes, yes, of course!" Wilkes cleared his throat, then looked at Nanny. "Nanny?"

A slow smile crossed her face. "This could be most interesting, for sure, sure, sure!"

She leaned into him, and just as their mouths were about to touch, sparks shot off. Nanny pulled away, laughing, her hand over her lips. "Oh my Lord, it TICKLES!"

Everyone then had to try it, kissing each other's cheeks or lips or hands, and the electric sparks obliged them all, so that a lot of giggling and chuckling filled the air. The guide gave them time to walk around and look at all the lights and sights of the city, then took them up to the 102nd floor briefly so that they could see from that much smaller and completely enclosed area. "This observation deck is rarely used and unfortunately is highly vandalised, including scratches on the windows and gum on the floor, and it is also rarely cleaned, as you can see," he said.

Picking their way carefully to the windows, not touching anything, the tour group all looked out and agreed that, although the view was still spectacular, the extra height didn't make up for the 'open air' aspect of the terrace on the 86th floor. The guide took them back down so they could have one final walk around the terrace, a couple of the boys sticking their hands through the fence again to watch the St. Elmo's fire flare up.

Finally they were all back on the bus and being dropped off at their various hotels. At the Plaza, Wilkes assisted Nanny down the steps, and the two thanked the driver and the tour guide profusely. Their six new friends piled out of the bus as well, also thanking the two, and then the bus was gone.

"Are you staying here?" Nanny asked Jean.

Jean grinned. "Here? At the PLAZA? Are you KIDDING me? We can't afford this kind of place! No, we're at a hostel not too far away. It was really great meeting you, Lady Nanny! I wish you and Sir Wilkes well in your life together from now on!"

She held out her hand to shake Nanny's, but Nanny didn't even hesitate. She hugged the girls one at a time, thanking them for the makeover and the wonderful day, then shook hands with the boys, as did Wilkes. The young people walked off, and Nanny and Wilkes stepped through the doors into the Plaza, Nanny extremely thankful that Charlie was off duty and that no one had heard all the comments the young people had been making as they were shouting their goodbyes along with wishes for a great honeymoon and marriage!

"Nanny?" Miss Thompson, behind the front desk, beckoned Nanny over.

"I'm just going to see if Charlie is around," Wilkes said hurriedly. "I'll be back in a moment."

"That's fine, fine, fine," Nanny said as she walked over to Miss Thompson.

O o O o O o

When she had taken the message from Eloise that Miss Thompson had for her, Nanny started over to the elevators, reading the long missive as she walked. Suddenly she was aware that Wilkes was at her side. "Aoww! I'm sorry, Sir Wilkes, I was ..."

"I thought you were dropping the 'sir', Nanny!" he said softly.

Confused, Nanny nodded, "I just ..."

"A magnificent day, don't you think?"

"Aoww ... quite! Quite!"

"I cannot thank you enough for allowing me to accompany you ..." Wilkes continued earnestly as he pressed the button for the elevator.

Nanny chuckled. "I cannot thank YOU enough for allowing ME to accompany YOU. If it hadn't been for you, this day wouldn't have been so wonderful, for sure, sure, sure!"

"Let's just say we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves together, shall we?" Wilkes suggested. "Nanny, I do hope I haven't made a serious blunder here, but ..."

The elevator arrived, and they automatically got on, greeting Max. As the elevator began to ascend to the sixteenth floor, Wilkes spoke quietly into Nanny's ear. "I've spoken to Walter about getting tickets to My Fair Lady. I'd be honoured if you would accompany me there ... when we get them. He did not sound too hopeful for tomorrow or even the next day, but thought there might be a possibility three days from now. He will let me know in the morning."

"That's the day before Eloise gets home," Nanny said, "according to this message."

"Then if Walter can manage tickets before then, would you consider it?"

"Of course!"

"And if he can't get the tickets immediately, I shall ask him to get us THREE tickets, and we will take Eloise with us. Perhaps to a matinee. If you think she would like that."

"I think she would like that very much," Nanny said softly. "You're a love, S - ... Wilkes. Thank you."

The elevator doors opened, and they stepped out onto their floor. They walked down the hall and stopped at Nanny's door. She fumbled in her purse for the key, and when she had found it, Wilkes closed his fingers over the key and her hand. "Nanny, as I said, I truly did enjoy today. Perhaps ... well, I was wondering if perhaps it would be possible for us to do something similar together for the next few days? I found it was most informative to see New York through the eyes of a tourist!"

Nanny smiled. "That's what I had planned to do, for sure, sure, sure!"

"So I may accompany you again tomorrow?" he asked daringly.

"I'd like that very much."

His lips were so close to hers ... then they were kissing, at first tenderly then with a passion that revealed the futility of trying to hide their growing desire for one another. Her body swayed shockingly close to his as she was held by his lips and the brush of his skin over hers, and she was flooded with longing. She clung to him, gasping at the sweetness that overcame her as nothing had ever done before.

Pressed tightly together, their breaths mingled as their mouths slid hungrily across each other's. Her mouth opened beneath his and she could taste him and the lingering flavour of the liqueur they'd had at dinner. Nanny was sure she would die a sweet and slow death. She touched her hand to his now-stubbled cheek, and his fingers tangled in her hair at the back of her head, tipping her head to deepen the connection of their mouths. The kiss turned hot and wild, and Nanny didn't care that he was probably wrecking her beautiful hairdo with his hands ... although she wished deep inside that he was touching her elsewhere besides her head! Gasping in horror at her thoughts, Nanny wrenched herself away from him, breathless and trembling.

Wilkes was trembling violently himself. With great effort, he brought himself under control, then spoke huskily, "I must apologize ..."

"No. No, please ... don't ..." Nanny whispered.

Bending down, Wilkes picked up the key which had fallen to the floor when he had first kissed her, opened her door for her, reached in and turned on a light, then handed her the key. "Good night ... Elizabeth Anne."

"Good night ... Willy." Softly and almost reluctantly, Nanny closed the door between them then leaned against it for the second night in a row, her hand on her still-wildly-thumping heart. Oh my LORD! He was a gentleman, for sure, sure, sure and she was no lady if the regret and emptiness she was presently feeling as he walked away were any indication!

It wasn't until she took off her gloves that Nanny once more remembered the rings Wilkes had bought for her that morning. She studied her hand, turning it this way and that to make the diamond glint in the light. It really was a lovely artificial stone, she thought, and the sapphires gleamed with a gorgeous blue fire. She loved the ring, and hoped he hadn't paid too much for this one and the 'wedding' ring combined. Not that it really mattered, of course, because he could easily get his money back when he returned them. Finally she reluctantly went to take the rings off. They were stuck. Her knuckle had swollen over the day, and now the rings were firmly on her finger and would not come off. She tried soaking her finger, twisting and tugging on the rings ... then finally gave up and went to bed, hugging her pillow as she re-lived all the glorious moments of the day and all the kisses she and Wilkes had exchanged. For the first time in a long time, she went to sleep without thinking once of Eloise!

O o O o O o To be continued.....


	4. Chapter 4

Nanny got up the next morning still feeling wonderful about the previous day. She brushed out her hair and wound it up into her usual knot, wondering if she could possibly ever do it again the way the girls had done the previous afternoon. While washing up, she noticed the rings once again, but still couldn't get them off. "Oh, honestly!" she muttered as she worked at them, achieving only a very sore and swollen knuckle for her efforts. "If I have to get them CUT off, Sir Wilkes will not be at all pleased, for sure, sure, sure!"

Giving up the fight with the rings, she ate her breakfast while looking over some of the pamphlets she had picked up the day before, trying to decide where she wanted to go this lovely day. Wilkes had offered to come with her, but she had no intentions of calling him to find out if he still felt that way. After all, it was not up to HER to do the asking for things like this! What if he had changed his mind? What if he changed his mind after she told him she still couldn't get the rings off?

While she was drinking her coffee, a knock came at the door, and when she answered, she found Wilkes smiling at her. "Nanny," he said. "Walter managed to acquire two tickets for My Fair Lady ... not tonight or tomorrow, but the night after that."

"Aoww, well done!" Nanny clasped her hands together, completely forgetting about the rings. "I DO so want to see that play!"

Then Wilkes said, "I've, er, I've made reservations for the two of us to go for dinner tonight to the Rainbow Room, on the sixty-fifth floor of the RCA building, if that suits you, Nanny. I was informed by Virginia yesterday that that was the thing to do and the place to go for dinner and dancing. She said you all had discussed it. I do hope I haven't blundered ..."

To her annoyance, Nanny blushed. "I was told we should go there, too, but really, I don't mean to ..."

"You would rather not? I had hoped perhaps you might enjoy it ..." He looked disappointed.

"Oh, no, no, no, that's not what I meant! Of COURSE I would enjoy it! But ... surely you have other things to do ..."

"There is nothing I would rather do than spend time with you, Nanny," Wilkes said softly, his own face flushing. "Perhaps today we could visit a few of the museums or art galleries, or some other place you wish to see? Before dinner, of course."

"I have some pamphlets ..." Nanny indicated her table, reaching for her glasses.

In moments, the two were seated looking at the various pamphlets and discussing where they should go. Wilkes said they could call a cab to take them to wherever they decided, and have an early lunch somewhere while touring, but added that he thought they should be back at the Plaza by five o'clock to give them time to get ready for the evening.

Accordingly, that is what they did. They started out at the American Museum of National History, then after a quick lunch at a small deli, they moved on to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the new art exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum, the Jewish Museum and the Museum of the City of New York. Although they weren't back until five-thirty that night, Wilkes assured Nanny that there was still plenty of time before their reservation, and said he would be by at six-thirty to escort her downstairs where they would have a cab waiting.

Nanny took extra care with her hair that night, patiently trying to coax it to go the way the girls had done it ... and for the most part was pleased with the result. Just for a moment she wished Eloise were there to help her pull her corset strings tighter, but quickly reminded herself that if Eloise were here, she and Wilkes would not be going out for dinner and dancing. Nanny's whole body quivered at the thought, although she wasn't sure if it was fear or excitement causing it. She carefully set her hat on the loose chignon, hoping it wouldn't all fall down when she removed the hat at the restaurant.

Wilkes arrived at her door promptly at six-thirty, looking very debonair in a black spring coat over his black tuxedo. He surprised her with a bouquet of lilacs, driving the thoughts of the rings out of Nanny's mind yet again. Wilkes admitted shamefacedly that Jean had reminded him of the need to give Nanny flowers. "I know you told Eloise roses were best, but the lilacs have such a ... heady, sensuous smell. They're so very ... springlike, you know."

Nanny accepted the bouquet carefully, hiding her surprise at his use of the word 'sensuous' when connected with HER. "I ... I'll just put these lilacs in water." She breathed in the erotic scent blissfully.

"You're beautiful, Nanny," he said suddenly, after sweeping his eyes down her voluptuous body encased in a long burgundy gown.

Ducking her head, Nanny whispered, "Thank you." The prim, high neckline and long sleeves belied the way the bodice molded and accentuated her ample breasts. Kay had given the dress to her the previous year, after Eloise had shown her the dress Nanny had worn to the Debutante Ball. Nanny now hurriedly found and filled a vase with water and the lilacs, then set the vase on the table.

"Shall we?" Wilkes held out the coat she had draped over a chair by the door and she slipped into it, then turned and took his arm, smiling.

Max didn't bat an eyelash as they rode down on the elevator, Miss Thompson beamed at them as they crossed the lobby, and Charlie helped Nanny into the taxi saying, "Enjoy yourselves, you two!"

Nanny couldn't help but wonder what her friends at the Plaza thought of her stepping out with Sir Wilkes ... the likes of him was not usually available at ALL as an escort for women in her position in life! She felt richly blessed ... and more than a little nervous.

When they had handed their coats and hats in to be checked at the restaurant, Nanny took Sir Wilkes' arm again, lifted her chin to rid herself of the butterflies in her stomach, and the two walked in to the Rainbow Room where the music was already swelling softly.

The maitre-d' met them with an obsequious smile. "Welcome, Sir Wilkes ... Madam ... Please, come this way."

He led them to a table near a window. "Is this table acceptable?" At their murmured agreement, he held the chair for Nanny to be seated, then said, "I wish you a wonderful evening."

"This is absolutely divine!" Nanny said, looking at the incredible view of New York at night. Then she faced Wilkes and put her hand out towards him across the table. "Thank you for bringing me here tonight. I ... it's hard to believe this is real, and not just a dream. I'm afraid I'm going to wake up any moment."

"This is not a dream, Nanny. This is very real." Wilkes covered her hand with his and looked at her earnestly. "You look beautiful. Even more beautiful than yesterday, if that is possible."

Nanny flushed, unable to think of anything to say. Fortunately, at that moment, the waiter arrived to take their orders. After fumbling in her purse for her glasses, Nanny was too flustered to choose something to eat the moment she caught sight of the prices. Oh my LORD, this was expensive! "You choose, Wilkes," she said faintly.

"What do you like to eat?" he asked, beginning to fret that he wouldn't pick something she liked.

"Anything ..." cheap, she wanted to add, but daren't.

The waiter spoke up. "If you like seafood, I would recommend the catfish."

Nanny tried to find that on the menu to check the price, but before she succeeded, the menu was taken out of her hands. "Nanny? Do you eat seafood?"

"Aoww, yes, yes, yes," she nodded.

"Very well, Madam. That comes with salad, soup, okra and rice. What would you like to drink?"

"I ..."

"Wine. White wine. The, er, house wine," Wilkes said, quickly. "I will have the same."

"Yes, sir. Very good, sir. I will be back with your wine in a moment."

Nanny put away her glasses, and when she had her wine, she took a gulp to give her some courage, and then smiled shakily at Wilkes. "I'm afraid I'm just not used to such ... elegance."

"It won't take long before you feel comfortable, Nanny," Wilkes smiled. "Look at the view we have of New York City at night ... and look at the view of the nightlife we have here in this room!" He indicated the revolving dance floor where a number of couples were already swaying to the strains of the live big band orchestra.

Nanny watched the dancers for a moment or two, then her eyes widened. Oh my Lord! Was that Mrs. Daniels? The woman turned slightly in the arms of her partner, and Nanny swallowed. It was Mrs. Daniels! She would recognize that botto anywhere! Then she smothered her smile at her naughty thought. After all, Mrs. Daniels really HAD been quite agreeable to her the last time they had met!

Wilkes' gaze followed Nanny's to the dance floor, and he was surprised when he, too, recognized the high society woman ... and the man with whom Mrs. Daniels was dancing. It was one of the men with whom he occasionally had an opportunity to do business ... one with whom he really didn't see eye to eye very often!

The waiter was back, then, bringing them both a garden salad with vinaigrette. The salad was followed by a clear tomato soup. Neither had ever eaten clear tomato soup before and were surprised that it really tasted like tomatoes, even though it didn't look like it. When they were finished with the soup, they were offered a shrimp cocktail, then the main course consisted of barbecued catfish with fried okra and scented rice.

When they had eaten the last bite of the main course, Nanny sat back in her chair and laid her napkin down. "That was absolutely divine, divine, divine! I'm so full I don't think I'm ever be able to move again."

"Perhaps we should ... work off some of that food?" Wilkes stood up and stepped around the table, holding out his hand to Nanny. "May I ask the lady for this dance?"

"I thank you, sir," she said gravely, and came to her feet.

They walked onto the dance floor, then he drew her into his arms and Nanny was caught unaware by a sudden wave of lust as a jolt of sexual awareness hit her. Who would have suspected that she would fit against him so perfectly, as though they had been custom-made for each other? Her hand felt hot in his, and he pulled her closer as they moved to the music. They turned in the shadows at the edge of the dance floor and her hip shifted against his for a brief, incendiary moment. Nanny closed her eyes and struggled to stay calm.

Then Wilkes bent his head and nuzzled her ear, murmuring, "You're a good dancer, Nanny! And you feel wonderful in my arms ..."

Nanny's heart started thumping wildly. "Don't ..." His breath feathered over her skin and desire flowed hotly through her veins. "Please ... don't ... please ... Sir Wilkes ..." If he kept up this tortuous flirtation, she was going to absolutely die! She could barely move as it was. Imagine how THAT would look, collapsing in the middle of the dance floor in public, for Lord's sake!

"Please call me Wilkes," was his whispered plea. "And Nanny, I really, REALLY want to kiss you. I NEED to ... right here ... right now ...."

"Ohhhh ..." The syllable came out a soft, helpless invitation, and he promptly took her up on it, their mouths fusing together even as they continued to sway in time to the music. Nanny's only thought was to cling tightly to him so she wouldn't slide into a melted puddle at his feet.

"Excuse me ... but aren't you Sir Wilkes ... from the Plaza Hotel?" Mrs. Daniels' strident tones broke Wilkes and Nanny apart quickly, Nanny almost staggering as she thrust herself out of his arms.

"Yes, yes, I am!" Wilkes said, hastily gathering his self-control. He bowed slightly in Mrs. Daniels' direction, ignoring the limp hand she held out. "Mrs. Daniels, I believe?"

"That's right." She looked pleased that he remembered her. "Oh, and this is ..."

"Mr. Jamieson." Wilkes nodded at the other man coolly. "We've met."

"Sir Wilkes." Mr. Jamieson returned the nod distantly. He studied Nanny for a moment, then looked back at Wilkes with his eyebrow raised insolently. "I understand you didn't take early retirement when it was offered to you last fall. I would have thought that once you hit sixty, you'd want to stay in England with family. I do know you go back often. You went over Christmas Day, didn't you? I hadn't heard you had come back. I KNOW you weren't back in February, because I needed to be in touch regarding some other matters. However, I see you finally made it back to New York ... and now I guess I know why. It looks as if you have found other pleasu ... or ... perhaps this is your older sister?"

Nanny's hand clenched at her side, and she almost swung at the man. How DARE he? Then his words sunk in. Wilkes was just SIXTY? Oh my Lord! She was almost SEVENTY!

"Jamieson ..." Wilkes sounded almost threatening.

"Sorry, old man," Mr. Jamieson smiled thinly. "I guess you're not exactly YOUNG, so no one can be accused of cradle-snatching."

"My sainted Aunt Fanny!" Nanny burst out, her fury boiling quickly.

Now Mrs. Daniels focussed on the hussy with whom Wilkes had been so scandalously making a public exhibition of himself and who now seemed to be set on raising an outcry on the dance floor, and realized with shock that she recognized the woman. "Nan ... Nanny? REALLY?"

"Mrs. Daniels." Nanny's chin came up and her eyes flashed. She would not back down.

"Her name is Elizabeth Anne," Wilkes said hurriedly, then realized he had no idea what her last name was. "If you will excuse us?"

Taking Nanny's arm, he led her back to their table, but not before hearing Mrs. Daniels exclaim, "Well, I NEVER! And she's wearing RINGS! He couldn't have MARRIED the woman, would he?"

"Wouldn't put it past him," her companion grumbled.

O o O o O o

Nanny and Wilkes sat in silence at their table for a moment, looking out over the twinkling lights of the city. At last Nanny murmured, "Your ... business associate ... said he had thought you would retire?"

"Yes. My sister wants me to ... says the flying back and forth so often between England and New York City was getting too much for me. When I turned sixty last year, the plan was for me to retire and remain in England, with family."

"But you didn't ..." Nanny longed to ask why, but felt she didn't have the right.

"No, I didn't. By then, there was another ... interest ... to keep bringing me back to New York." Wilkes' hand covered Nanny's left hand which was resting on the table, and his thumb began to caress it.

Nanny's heart jolted, then started racing as she stared down at his hand on hers. Timidly she looked up. "Another interest?"

He smiled slowly at her, and her heart turned over and seemed to stop.

"Aoww, I meant to return your rings!" she said in a rush, snatching her hand from his and beginning to fight again to slide the rings off her finger. Whether it was the heat in her body or her nervousness, Nanny wasn't sure, but the rings remained stuck fast.

"Return them?" Wilkes sounded puzzled. "They're yours, Nanny."

"But you can return them to the store." she argued. Then, as she tugged vainly at them, she began to babble. "They're much too fine an imitation to leave with me. What if I lose them?"

"LOSE them? My dear woman, I hardly think that's possible when they're firmly on your finger!" Wilkes sounded amused. Then his face changed imperceptibly. "Imitation? You think these are imitation? Do you mean ... not REALLY an engagement and wedding ring?"

"No, I mean not real stones ..." Nanny continued to struggle with the rings.

"They're not imitation. They're real," Wilkes' voice was gentle with understanding, but firm. "That is a real diamond, Nanny, and those are real sapphires ... sapphires the very colour of your eyes."

"Oh my LORD!" Nanny stopped twisting the rings and stared at him in horror. "REAL? Sir Wilkes! If these are real, they must have cost ...."

"They did," he interrupted dryly, "so kindly stop fiddling with them before you manage to get them off and lose them. Although even if you happened to do that, I wouldn't say a word. They are yours, Nanny. Not mine. Yours."

"Oh my LORD!" Nanny repeated, staring at her hand as if she wanted to cut it off and throw it far from her. "REAL?"

"And Nanny ... Elizabeth Anne, I'd like to make them real in another ..." Wilkes began hesitantly, but was interrupted when the waiter materialized at their table.

"Dessert, Madam? Sir?"

"Yes, yes, yes," Wilkes said, almost impatiently, waving the man away. "Anything. Thank you."

"Very good, sir. Our specialty tonight is a soufflé ..."

"That sounds delicious," Nanny said primly, folding her hands in her lap. She looked composed enough, but inwardly she was still shrieking with the shock of finding that she was most probably wearing hundreds, if not thousands of dollars worth of jewellery on her one finger. She had not been paying much attention to Wilkes when he had spoken just before the waiter had arrived, so when the man left, she looked at Wilkes and said, "S ... Wilkes, I simply cannot accept these rings ... not to KEEP, for Lord's sake! I - I thought you were going to return them in a day or two!"

"You ... you can't accept them?" Wilkes' face paled a little.

Then the waiter was back with their dessert, a delicious-looking soufflé made of cherries, hazelnuts and chocolate. "There you are!" he said with a flourish. "May I get you some coffee?"

Nanny nodded dumbly, staring down into her lap, still twisting the rings ... the REAL rings ... around on her finger.

"Very good, Madam. For you, sir?"

"Tea for me, please," Wilkes said after clearing his throat.

In silence once more, the two ate the dessert and drank their beverages. Nanny was now feeling that the entire evening had been a miserable failure. When Wilkes mutely offered the wine bottle, she held out her glass to be refilled. Why not? She drank it down and, not noticing his slight smile when he filled it up again, had another gulp.

"Nanny? Would you care to dance again? REALLY dance this time ..." Wilkes asked, a twinkle in his eyes.

Nanny hiccupped, then clapped her hand over her mouth in shame and horror. "Oh, Willy, I cannot apologize enough ...!"

He chuckled and stood up, holding out his hand. "Come. I think we both need to dance, and to allow ourselves the opportunity to enjoy this evening as it was meant to be enjoyed."

Nanny allowed him to lead her to the dance floor, reflecting that it was a good thing he was such a gentleman ... such a wonderful, sweet, loveable gentleman. While they were dancing, she closed her eyes and imagined that they were young and in love, with nothing to keep them apart. It was absolutely divine. She could have continued dancing in his arms for the rest of the night and for a good part of tomorrow as well!

O o O o O o

It was quite late when they returned to the Plaza. Nanny rummaged in her purse for her key, then fitted it into the door.

"Allow me," Wilkes murmured. He opened her door for her, and handed her back the key which she placed carefully in her purse.

"Thank you, Wilkes ..." she said faintly, holding out her hand to shake his. "I'll ... I'll try to remove the rings tomorrow morning, and will get them to you ..."

"Yes, of course. If that is your wish. Good night ... Elizabeth Anne." He took her hand and tugged lightly, stepping closer to her as he drew her to him. Then his lips were on hers again. Nanny moaned softly as she wound her arms around his neck and met his passion with all the fire in her own body that had been building over the last few days. It was an intimate kiss, a kiss that could lead so quickly and easily to ...., well, to where Nanny wasn't sure she was quite ready to go. Not yet ... no, not yet ... not yet ...

Nanny pulled back, sucking air into her lungs. Wilkes' chest was shaking a bit, too, and his breath came raggedly. He ran a slightly shaking hand over his head. "I ... I wasn't ... I didn't know ... Perhaps we should ..." His eyes flickered into her room, then down to the floor.

Despite all the emotions reeling through Nanny, she almost smiled. They COULD take it further. They were certainly old enough. They were alone. They had no responsibilities tonight OR for the next few days! Excitement rippled through her, quickening her pulse again and stealing her breath. And with the excitement came fear ... fear that maybe she wasn't ready, despite everything. "We - we probably shouldn't ..." she said breathlessly, wondering if she hoped he would agree or disagree.

Still breathing hard himself, Wilkes sounded almost resigned. "Right ... we ... we probably ... should ... not ..."

Trying not to sigh with disappointment, Nanny said hesitantly, "There ... there is always ... tomorrow ..." She didn't want to, but she couldn't help but wonder if he had ever thought about the age difference between them ... if he knew or cared about it! What if ... what if he thought about it and, well ... decided he did NOT want someone nine years older than himself? What if his family felt the same way as his business associate obviously had felt?

"It's just ... I've been wanting to kiss you for a very long time now." Wilkes admitted huskily, and her fears and doubts began to subside slowly.

Nanny swallowed hard, then whispered, "We haven't known one another for a very long time."

"That's my misfortune ... and I'm hoping we ... might correct that. In the next few days. Before Eloise returns ... you know ..."

Touching his face timidly with her hand, Nanny said, "I'm not sure ..."

Wilkes sucked in his breath, then let it out slowly. "You kissed me like you were sure!" His heated gaze again swept over her face, focussing on her lips. His eyes had darkened with the passion he was feeling, and she instinctively felt that he was distancing himself from the emotions he was struggling to contain.

She felt all hot and flushed. Where was the gentle, almost timid Wilkes she had thought she knew? "Sir Wilkes ..."

"Shh," he said, drawing her close once more, his lips grazing her neck just above her coat collar. "It's all right. I won't push. Not tonight. Just kiss me again, Nanny."

She did, her heart bursting with a new sensation, an urgency that made her nervous. Oh, she wanted him, needed him ... but it was out of the question! He was a KNIGHT! Not only was he above her station, but she was much too old for him, much, much, much! Again her body reacted to his touch, and it took all her efforts to turn her head away from his voracious kisses that had grown in intensity when she had yielded to him. She pushed at him weakly with her hands. "I ... I can't ..."

"If ... if you're worried and ... afraid ... about, well, about being ... intimate ..." Wilkes was breathing hard, trying to control himself. "I don't expect that ... not yet ..." His hands remained linked around her back, holding her close enough that she could feel his arousal.

Nanny flushed. Not YET? "I'm ... I'm not so much afraid of ... intimacy ... for Lord's sake!" she mumbled. "I just ... well, you do things to me, just by looking at me, that make me BLUSH! I've never had that happen before."

To her utter amazement, Wilkes started to laugh. Just a little chuckle, but it was still enough to light up his face, and he became again the beloved companion of the last few days.

Nanny slumped against him, no longer able to fight her own longings. "I don't want to be like this," she sighed and tried to explain. "I WANT us to ... like each other. I always have, for Lord's sake! I'm just so ... nervous ... of what I'm feeling. It's ... it's not LADYLIKE to feel these things ... to want these things ... to need more, more, more ..."

Wilkes lifted her chin and looked at her intently. Then his hand cupped her cheek. "What we're feeling is normal ... the kind of thing we all hope to feel at least once in our lives. Elizabeth Anne, there is no shame in being attracted to someone ... and in following the dream of a new beginning ... even at our age." The husky urgency in his voice offered her his promise. "Good night, Nanny. I'll see you tomorrow." He gave her a little push into the suite. "Go ... before I join you."

Reluctantly, Nanny went.

O o O o O o To be continued......


	5. Chapter 5

After a night filled with sweet, rosy dreams of Wilkes, Nanny awoke feeling amazingly rested. She ran her left hand under cold water as long as she could stand it, then used soap and managed to wriggle the rings off. With a sigh of relief, she picked up the rings and tucked her left hand under her arm to warm it as she walked out into the living room. A knock came at her door, and she opened it to find William with her breakfast.

"Good morning, Nanny!" he grinned. Then he frowned slightly. "Something wrong with your hand?"

"Aoww! No, no, no!" Hastily Nanny waved her hand at him. "It was just much too cold, much, much, much! I was running cold water on it."

"Okay, Nanny ... if you say so ..." Quirking an eyebrow, he set out her breakfast. "So, did you have a good time last night? And where are you and Sir Wilkes off to today?"

Nanny gripped the rings still in her hand and tried to smile nonchalantly. "We had a wonderful time, and I have no idea if I'll even be SEEING Sir Wilkes today."

"Don't worry, Nanny ... you'll be seeing him! I heard you didn't get in until after midnight last night! Tsk, tsk, tsk! Taking advantage of Eloise's absence, I see!" he chuckled. "Well, have fun today, whatever you're doing! Bye!"

"Thank you, William," Nanny managed to say before he was out the door. She continued to stand staring blankly at the door for a moment, then the aroma of the hot coffee drew her.

She carefully placed the rings in the middle of the table, and began to eat her porridge methodically, her eyes on the lilacs Wilkes had given her the night before and her mind racing over what the others in the Plaza might be thinking and saying about her and about the sudden relationship between herself and Wilkes while Eloise was away. Then her eyes fell on the rings again, and she picked the engagement ring up carefully, studied it for a moment, then kissed it and put it down again. "No," she told herself firmly. "No, no, no! You may NOT keep it! It's enough that you saw it on your finger for two days, for Lord's sake! Sir Wilkes simply is not for you!"

After finished breakfast, Nanny hesitated only a little while before gathering her courage and the rings and heading down the hall to Wilkes' suite. She knocked timidly on the door and waited, then knocked again a little louder. No answer. Sighing, Nanny turned to leave, but when the door opened suddenly, she swung back.

Wilkes was standing there, blinking owlishly at her, clutching his dressing gown shut over his pyjamas. "Nanny?"

"Sir Wilkes!" she exclaimed. "Oh, my Lord, I cannot apologize enough! I didn't mean to wake you ..."

"Actually, I feel as though I was awake all night," he said dryly. "Please do come in ..."

"Aoww, no, I ..."

"Please. I called Bill just ten minutes for my breakfast, so he should be here in a moment. Have you had yours? We could call him ..."

"I've eaten," Nanny broke in. She hadn't moved towards him at all.

He looked down at himself, then up at her wryly. "Now it's my turn to apologize. If you will wait for me ... I'll go dress. Please?"

"Very well," Nanny said, not knowing what else to do. She simply HAD to give him back the rings ... today!

Wilkes vanished into his bedroom and Nanny hesitated in the open doorway of the suite, eying the pictures on the shelves again. Knowing that Kathleen was Wilkes' sister made it so much easier to see the similarities between the two! And his nephews looked very like him as well. Hearing the familiar sound of the trolley, she looked around to see William coming down the hall towards her.

"Good morning again, Nanny," he grinned. "I wondered if I'd see you here! I've just brought Sir Wilkes' breakfast ..."

"He'll be out in a moment, William," she said, frowning slightly. Why would he have thought she would be here now, for Lord's sake?

"Want some more coffee, Nanny? I brought some fresh for you, and a cup. Sir Wilkes drinks tea, of course ..." He pushed the trolley into the room and began to unload it onto the table, first holding up the carafe of coffee he had brought for her.

"I ... I suppose I could drink some more coffee ..." Nanny murmured as she went over to the table, feeling that she needed something to wake her up as obviously she was still asleep and dreaming!

Wilkes came out at that point. "Ah, Bill! Thank you ... oh, and you brought some coffee for Nanny? How kind."

"Not a problem, Sir Wilkes!" and Bill was gone.

Wilkes smiled at Nanny sheepishly as he sat down at the table across from her. "I hope you don't mind if I eat ... Would you like some toast? I know you've eaten, but ... I'm rather late, I'm afraid. It's that kind of day, it seems. Our sun has vanished. "

"I just hope the rain doesn't follow." Nanny's eyes were on the gray skies out the window. "Still, the flowers will be happy for it."

"Yes, I noticed the flowers are beginning to be quite lovely out in Central Park. Have you seen them?"

"Not really ... just from our room ..." Nanny said.

"Tell you what, Nanny," Wilkes put his hand out and caught hers that was holding her coffee cup. She almost dropped the coffee in her surprise, but Wilkes didn't seem to notice her clumsiness. "Why don't we go for a walk this afternoon and then hire one of the horse-drawn carriages to take us on the carriage tour of New York? That way we can do some more 'touristy' things, yet see the flowers as well. Weather permitting, of course."

"Aoww, I suppose we could ..." Nanny nodded, warmed by the fact that he still wanted to spend time with her as much as she was unnerved by him holding her hand. And THAT reminded her of the rings. "Wilkes, I've managed to get the rings off ..."

He looked a little crestfallen. "I noticed. I -I bought them for you. To keep. Forever. I had thought that, well, that perhaps ..."

"Oh my sainted Aunt Fanny! I couldn't possibly keep them!" Nanny was astounded.

"I see ..." Downcast, Wilkes withdrew his hand and picked up his tea. "Well, then ..."

"Wilkes, I know much better than to keep them, much, much, much! They cost far too much and there is no need for you to waste so much money on ME! You can return them and get your money back, for Lord's sake!" She slid the rings, which she had carefully placed before her on the table, across to him ... but couldn't resist one last, longing look at the beautiful jewellery before resolutely turning her eyes away. After all, the REAL value in the rings lay in the fact that Sir Wilkes had bought them for HER ... and they were not worth much to her if his heart did not come with them, which of course, it could not.

Seeing the wistful longing in her eyes made Wilkes decide that he would indeed return them … to HER, as soon as possible. He excused himself again and took them into his bedroom to await the appropriate time to ask her to accept them – next time not for show, but because she loved him as much as he loved her. When he came out again, Nanny had finished her coffee and was ready to leave. Afraid she might go without setting a time for their afternoon plans, he quickly stepped up to the door and, with his hand on the knob even as her fingers were reaching for it, said, "Would you do me the honour of lunching with me in the Palm Court, Nanny, before we go for our outing?"

"Oh my Lord, Wilkes, you mustn't get me used to eating out all the time!" Nanny protested.

"It really is much more pleasant to eat in good company rather than alone," he said, with a shy smile. "Please?" he wheedled.

Immensely flattered that he thought her good company, Nanny agreed, then said, "But I absolutely MUST get some work done this morning, for Lord's sake!"

"Alas, I must work as well," he sighed, and opened the door for her. "I'll come by for you about 11:30, shall I?"

"Thank you," she agreed, and went back to her suite where she sat and daydreamed for an hour before doing anything.

Her first move was to telephone down to Vincent in the hairdresser's shop and ask if he could possibly fit her in the next afternoon. To her delight, she was given an appointment at three o'clock. Then she stood at her closet door and tried to figure out what she should wear to the theatre. The same burgundy dress she had worn for dinner and dancing, or ...?

At that point, the telephone by her bed rang, and it was Eloise calling to see how Nanny was coping by herself all day.

"I'm fine, pet," Nanny grinned. "No, not too lonely. I do miss you, of course. ... Actually, I'm going out to see a show tomorrow night. ... Well, no, not by myself. ... No, with, well, with Sir Wilkes, as a matter of fact." Then she held the telephone receiver away from her ear, wincing as Eloise's excited, shrill tones resounded. When silence came, she held the receiver back to her ear. "Eloise? ... oh! Kay! How are ...? I beg your pardon? ... Er, yes, I suppose you could say it's a, well, a date. ... I haven't decided what to wear. ... I wore that to dinner and dancing last night. ... Ye ... what? ... NO MEDDLING, Kay, for Lord's sake! ... Very well, I will consider wearing that ... and thank you! ... Yes, tomorrow night. ... Good bye, Kay. Give my love to Eloise." and she hung up quickly, her face flushed.

Going back over to the closet, Nanny pulled out the floor-length dark blue dress which buttoned down the front, and considered it thoughtfully. Kay had suggested wearing this dress. Well, perhaps if she really struggled with her corset, she could get into it again! Hanging the dress back up, she then went into Kay's closet and took out the blue-gray fur stole that Kay had said was just the thing to wear over her blue dress. Swinging it around her shoulders, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She did indeed look like a lady in this stole, and the colour made her eyes seem very blue, for sure, sure, sure! Then she resolutely put it back. Imagine how she would feel if something happened to it! No, she would just wear her own silk shawl that was a cornflower blue shot with silver -- a very rich looking shawl and one that brought out the colour of her eyes as well!

O o O o O o

After a delicious lunch in the Palm Court and gamely enduring Henry's winks, Nanny and Wilkes made their way out of the hotel and across the street to Central Park. Nanny was glad for her coat as there was a chilly wind today. Spring was as fickle as ever, and the last few days of warm sun had given away to dark clouds hanging over the city and threatening rain. Still, the hardy spring flowers were colourful and Nanny thoroughly enjoyed walking with her arm through Wilkes' as he pointed out the various flowers he had spotted earlier.

After a while, Wilkes started telling Nanny more about himself and his family. When they reached the Lake, they sat down in companionable silence on a bench and watched a couple of swans. Keeping her eyes fixed intently on the birds, Nanny told Wilkes how she had come to be Eloise's 'mostly companion', saying that she had been Kay's nanny first, then Kay's companion when Kay was older. Since Nanny had no other living relatives, Kay and Eloise were practically her family. Nanny and Wilkes then laughed while sharing a few of Eloise' antics and the time flew by quickly.

The cold wind finally drove them to start walking again, then Wilkes suggested that they take a short tour of the city in one of the horse-drawn carriages lining the streets around Central Park. At Nanny's pleased agreement, he led her over to a horse-drawn carriage that had the top up in anticipation of the coming rain, and was surprised when Nanny smiled at the driver and said, "Hello, Margaret!"

"Hey, Nanny! How ya doin'? I've been missing Eloise, and am sure you are too." Then the woman looked at the gentleman with Nanny, and she raised her eyebrows. "Then again, maybe not!" she added with a broad smile.

Nanny flushed, then made the introductions. "Margaret, this is Sir Wilkes. Sir Wilkes, Margaret."

"Margaret," Wilkes raised his hat and bowed.

"Faith and begorra! It's never Sir Wilkes!" she exclaimed, astonished. Then she grinned again. "Sure, and I'm just plain Maggie, your Lordship! Can I be offering ye both a tour of the city's finest?"

"That's why we are here!" Wilkes nodded.

"But not too long a one, please, Margaret!" Nanny smiled. "It IS chilly, and looks rawther like rain."

"The quick-like-a-bunny tour it is!" Maggie agreed. "You can climb in yourselves?"

Wilkes assisted her into Maggie's carriage and Nanny settled on the worn upholstery, trying to tug her coat and skirt down to cover her knees as was proper. Before she had succeeded, Wilkes had climbed in after her. Suddenly it was all too close and too tight, and they were both too large to share such an enclosed space. Had the top been down, it might not have seemed so small. Nanny's heart thudded against her ribs, but she could hardly leap up and jump out of the carriage simply because they were now sitting shoulder to shoulder and hip to hip ... even though that contact was sending heat surging through her. Nor could she really ask Wilkes to sit on the seat opposite her! She gritted her teeth and looked in the other direction while Maggie told Wilkes to spread the blanket over their laps 'just to keep off the damp and chill!'

"Eloise has been telling me about you, your Lordship, and probably telling many a tall tale and giving all Nanny's secrets away!" Maggie tossed over her shoulder as they pulled away from the curb.

"Nanny's secrets?" Sir Wilkes arched his eyebrows, looking first at Maggie then at Nanny who felt as though she was burning up with embarrassment. "Sounds fascinating!" he whispered to Nanny with a smile. Then, seeing her discomfort, he added, "Do you know where in Ireland Maggie is from? I'm trying to place her accent ... it's rather difficult."

Now Nanny had to smile. "Ireland by way of Brooklyn, I believe she said! Eloise said that Margaret believes that the lucky charm bit works better with tourists!" Talking about others made her forget her discomfort, and soon she and Wilkes were again chatting comfortably.

When the wind threatened to take their lap robe, Wilkes slid his arm around behind Nanny and pulled the robe up to her chin, tucking it behind her far shoulder. Then his arm settled over her shoulders, and she shifted slightly, trying to put a small gap between them. She felt his fingers brush her hair, and jerked her head away, but his hand still descended on her nape, the pad of his thumb massaging a spot just below her ear. "S - Sir Wilkes! Someone might SEE us!" she squeaked, trying not to show how his caressing fingers were affecting her, but suspecting he had guessed from her voice.

"Oh, Elizabeth Anne ... at the moment, I don't care! I've been wanting to kiss you all day!" He bent towards her, and, although she strained away from him, pressed her back against the side of the carriage, the hand she half-heartedly pressed against his chest no deterrent to his determination. His mouth covered hers.

Immediately the whole tenor of their embrace changed. The heated pressure of his lips gave way to a hot invasion. Beneath the lap robe, his free hand gripped her thigh just above her knee, and the passing thought that she obviously had not succeeded in pulling down her skirt decently was quickly stifled by the hungry urgency of his kiss. Her senses were swimming with the mindless passion he was evoking, and she couldn't prevent her hands from sliding around the back of his neck and pulling him closer, angling her head to align her lips more precisely with his and arching her body into his.

He made a strangled sound in his throat as he turned towards her as well, his hand moving even further up her leg, the caressing motion making it obvious that he knew exactly what he was doing and where he was hoping to go with his fingers. Without conscious thought, she pressed closer, tacitly urging him to continue ... then abruptly she was free and he was moving back to his own side, straightening his tie and adjusting the lapels of his jacket. Running one hand around the back of his neck, he made a concerted effort to control himself. "I am dreadfully sorry, Nanny ... I'm being MUCH too impetuous ... and this ... this is not seemly ..."

Maggie tossed over her shoulder, "This is more the kind of day you should have stayed inside and lit a fire!"

Wilkes muttered, "Instead, we come out here and I try to light a fire in a horse-drawn carriage!" He sounded quite disgusted with himself.

While she realized she should be grateful to him for having called a halt to something that had been getting rapidly out of hand and in PUBLIC, she almost wished she had been the one to do it. A proper lady would certainly have stopped him promptly, she knew, and slapped his face not pressed closer, for Lord's sake! Yet another mark against her, she lamented inwardly. Her body was still humming, however. This interlude had satisfied nothing. Instead, it had aroused a ravenous hunger in her for the touch of his hands, the taste of his skin .... Oh, KNICKERS! She HAD to get over this ... this infatuation!

"I do hope ... there will be more, er, CONVENIENT times than this to ... to light your fires, my lady, as I truly cannot think of anything I would rather do!" Wilkes met her eyes, determination glowing in his.

"Aoww, Willy ..." Her body shuddered delightfully at the promise in his husky voice. She promptly forgot her resolve to get over him. After all, if one can't have a little fun when almost seventy, when CAN one?

At that moment, the skies opened up, and, despite Maggie's urging Leo to trot quickly and the lap robe they huddled under, Nanny and Wilkes were wet, cold and miserable as they headed back to the Plaza.

Wilkes, his teeth chattering, said, "Perhaps we should test the fireplace in your suite tonight, Nanny. We could order room service for supper, and warm our feet by the fire. How does that sound?"

Nanny was chilled to the bone and shivering. Water was running down her neck. "Aoww, it sounds absolutely divine!" It sounded more than divine ... it sounded tempting and exciting and slightly dangerous, but she didn't care.

Maggie pulled up as close to the door as she could, and Charlie met them at the curb with a big umbrella, but even so, they were drenched by the driving rain before they got inside. Wilkes looked at Nanny ruefully as they squelched their way across the lobby. "I'm not sure that just sitting close to the fire is going to dry us. Perhaps we should change into dry clothes."

"Perhaps we should," Nanny agreed a little wistfully, seeing her evening of sitting in front of the fireplace with the man she loved fast disappearing.

At her door, however, which he opened for her as usual, Wilkes bowed slightly and said, "I will be back as soon as ... well, as Eloise says, 'as soon as I everly can'."

Almost overcome with her relief and joy, Nanny chuckled, and said, "I'll get the fire started if I am ready before you get back. We can order our supper afterwards."

"Ta ta for now," and Wilkes hurried down to his own suite, leaving puddles all along the hallway.

O o O o O o

Nanny quickly changed out of her wet clothes and stepped into her slippers before padding out to the living room and squatting by the fireplace. She was thankful that after it had been added to the room last fall, she and Eloise had formed the habit of re-setting the logs every time after cleaning the ashes out so that whenever they wanted to light the fire, it would always be ready to go. She lit it and then rocked back on her heels, waiting to see if it caught.

Suddenly she looked around at the two chairs standing in front of the fireplace, then over at the sofa along the other side facing the television. Surely it would be more ... comfortable, for them to sit on the sofa! A small smile curling the corners of her mouth, Nanny hurriedly moved the chairs then began to drag the sofa across the room. Just then, a soft knock came at the door.

Opening it, she smiled at Wilkes. "Come in. I was just turning the sofa so we could face the fire," she said.

Nanny ordered their supper from room service, her face changing only slightly when she was teased by the man on the other end of the telephone. Then, between the two of them, she and Wilkes arranged the sofa facing the fireplace, and then moved the oval coffee table in front of it to have a place to put their supper dishes. By then, the fire was burning well, so they sat primly on either side of the sofa, facing the flames.

It wasn't long before the buzzer went, and Bill came in with their supper. As he set it out on the coffee table, he grinned. "Eloise was right to say that it's obvious you two have feelings for each other! I guess now the other thing she told me is wrong. She said to me once,_ Here's what Nanny likes ... Sir Wilkes! But he doesn't know it! _I'd venture to guess that you do indeed know it now, Sir Wilkes ... and you return the sentiment!"

"Er, quite. Quite," Wilkes said, his face reddening.

After Bill was gone, the delicious aroma of the food erased some of their tension. They ate hungrily, and talked and laughed together over everything and nothing. Outside the rain continued, lashing against the windows in a way that doubled the comfort and intimacy of the inside.

Out of the blue, Wilkes asked, "Nanny, have you EVER been rude?"

Nanny blushed adorably. "Eloise asked me that at Christmastime," she said shyly.

"I just wondered. You seem so welcoming, so ... happy all the time. I cannot ever imagine a time when you would raise your voice or snub someone ... whatever he said or did."

"Aoww! RUDE! I thought you said ..." she paused, blushing even more before continuing in a rush, "I HAVE been a little testy once or twice ... but only if someone really deserved it. Not outright rude. Have you?"

Wilkes laughed out loud. "You have seen how I have behaved now on TWO occasions with Mrs. Daniels, and yet you have to ask me?"

"Oh, honestly! I thought you behaved admirably with Mr. Jamieson."

Wilkes' face darkened. "Had we had to speak with him for much longer, I would have been even ruder than HE was! Even now, I am most perturbed that I did not call him on some of his comments."

"Well, let's forget him," Nanny said comfortably, pushing the empty dishes out of the way and getting to her feet. "Do you like brandy, and would you like one now?"

"I can't think of anything I'd rather have. Thank you."

Nanny took the brandy bottle out of the half-circle credenza by Eloise's bedroom door and half-filled two snifters. Then she brought them back to the sofa where she handed Wilkes one and sat down, kicking off her slippers to put her stocking-ed feet up on the table. "Take off your shoes, if you wish," she urged Wilkes. "I don't know about you, but my toes are still cold, cold, cold!"

"Thank you, I believe I will."

They sat together by the fire which had burned lower now, their feet resting comfortably on the table, their shoulders touching as they sipped their brandy and continued to talk for another hour or two.

"This is wonderful. Absolutely divine!" Nanny said dreamily at last. "Everything about today was lovely."

"Including getting very, very, very wet?" Wilkes chuckled.

"If we hadn't, we wouldn't be sitting here now, would we?" She turned her head and smiled at him.

"We might have been. I would just have had to work a little harder to find an excuse, that's all."

Nanny carefully put down her snifter and met his gaze shyly. "You wouldn't have needed an excuse," she whispered.

The muscle in Wilkes' cheek flexed. "I wouldn't?" She saw the sudden joy that flooded his features before he leaned forward and put his glass beside hers.

"No ..." Nanny's breath deserted her when she saw how Wilkes was looking at her in the flickering firelight ... a long, slow look that made a blush start somewhere around her neck and work its way upward.

He reached out and pulled her against him in a movement that surprised her yet seemed, at the same time, completely right and inevitable. Then he looked into her eyes again as if asking permission, and Nanny said nothing. She simply ached for him to touch her, to hold her and, above all things, to kiss her again. Her arms came up to circle his neck as his lips touched hers in a soft, searching kiss that turned into passion as it lingered. She gave a little gasp and he pulled back to look at her face for just an instant before taking her silence for permission to continue kissing and caressing her. She responded to his kiss with an ardour compounded of months of longing for just this scenario and she revelled in the exquisite pleasure she was experiencing.

He nibbled her lower lip gently before moving his mouth across her cheek to her ear. "Any time you want me to stop, tell me, and I will." His whisper was husky and strained as he struggled to keep himself in control. "But I have wanted to kiss you like this for longer than you could possibly know."

Nanny mutely pleaded for more as she restlessly turned her head to find his lips again. Just at that moment, the buzzer at the door sounded. Nanny jerked away from Wilkes with a loud gasp, and he fumbled for his shoes. Nanny ran shaky hands over her fly-away hair in an attempt to smooth it down, and slid her feet into her slippers. Standing up, she tucked her blouse back into her skirt where it had pulled free, then stumbled over to the door just as the buzzer sounded again.

"William!" she exclaimed, her face reddening as Bill eyed her dishevelled appearance curiously at first then with a hint of amusement.

"Sorry to be so late, Nanny, but I got tied up in the kitchen. I'll just get these dirty dishes out of your way. How was your meal, you two?"

Nanny tried to remember what they had eaten, but her mind was still filled with the effect Wilkes' touch had had on her. She looked helplessly at Wilkes who cleared his throat. "The meal ... the meal was fine. Just the ticket for a rainy night ..."

"Glad to hear it!" Bill said heartily. He worked quickly to gather everything together, then headed for the door again. "Sorry to have bothered you two ... Enjoy the rest of the evening! Just call if you need a snack!" He grinned, winked, and was gone.

Nanny nervously clasped her hands together and looked at Wilkes. He took a step toward her, and the telephone rang.

"Just one more kiss ..." Wilkes groaned, drawing her close hurriedly. "Then I must go ..."

"Yes, perhaps you should ..." Nanny whispered, her lips touching his.

His hands roughly caressed her as his mouth made love to hers. The telephone continued to ring, and, almost breathless, somewhat frustrated and fully aroused, they separated, and Wilkes stumbled to the door. "Good night, Nanny," he whispered, and was gone.

Nanny picked up the telephone receiver and sank onto the sofa while she listened to Eloise's excited plans for her last day in Paris. She was thankful that the child didn't require more than monosyllable answers, because she truly did not think she could form complete sentences. When she finally crawled into bed, much later, frustration was still burning through her, and she did not sleep well that night at all.

O o O o O o To be continued......


	6. Chapter 6

After finally dragging herself out of bed the next morning, Nanny phoned for her breakfast. After taking her order, Gerry said, "Should I have Sir Wilkes' breakfast sent up with yours, Nanny? He called just a minute ago. Are you eating together?"

"Aoww my Lord, NO!" Nanny almost shrieked, and she dropped the receiver back on to the telephone, shaking. What had they done? In the last few days, somehow everyone in the Plaza was convinced that she and Wilkes were a couple! Yes, his kisses were absolutely divine, divine, divine ... but what would happen when Eloise returned home tomorrow? Nanny knew she was going to have a very difficult time going back to the days when she only saw him occasionally, and then most often from a distance. It might be even MORE difficult if, well, if they carried to its logical conclusion what they had started last night. Then again ... her body trembled even more with longing and desire. Then again, she WOULD have one night to remember for the rest of her life!

But how humiliating to know that everyone from Gerry in the room service operation room to Mr. Peabody, for all she knew, was watching the two of them closely! She wouldn't put it past William to have confided in his fianc e, Rachel ... and Rachel was telling her father everything these days after the almost-disaster at Christmas, for Lord's sake! Had she known that Walter had started a betting pool as to when they might actually 'go all the way', she would have been absolutely horrified!

Nanny tried to put everything out of her mind until she had had her coffee. No one should EVER be forced to think before coffee! She yawned again, then stood in front of her closet for a few minutes trying to decide what to wear before shrugging, pulling out her usual white blouse and navy skirt and dressing. What did it matter? She wouldn't be seeing Wilkes until they went to the theatre ... oh, KNICKERS! She had forgotten to ask him what time she should be ready! Well, that would be a reason to contact him this morning.

Suddenly feeling more buoyant, Nanny took her hair out of her dishevelled braid and brushed it vigorously, then twisted it up in her usual knot and smiled at her reflection. Vincent would hopefully be able to do wonders with her hair this afternoon! Then she propped her chin on her hands and stared further at herself. Perhaps she should be daring, and have her hair cut? More and more older women were foregoing the bother of putting long hair into buns, and transforming themselves into women with more modern SHORT hairstyles! Then Nanny shook her head and stood up. No, no, no! With her luck, her short hair would either just lie flat on her head and look absolutely terrible, or it would stick out in every direction. No. She would keep the hairstyle she was used to!

Bill arrived after a short time, and set out Nanny's porridge, saying he had delivered Sir Wilkes' breakfast, but the poor man had just received a telephone call that had meant he hadn't had time to enjoy his meal. "Any idea what that is about, Nanny?" Bill asked, pouring her coffee.

"Er ... naow ..."

Just then, the doorbell rang. "Maybe that's Sir Wilkes now," Bill said. "I'll be back for your dishes later, Nanny."

"Thank you, William."

She walked over to the door after Bill who greeted Wilkes before pushing his trolley down the hallway. Nanny eyed Wilkes surreptitiously, wondering if it had been bad news he had received. "S- ... er, Wilkes?" she asked, hesitantly.

"Morning, Nanny," he said, then paused, twisting his hat in his hands. "I, er ... Nanny, I must apologize, but I just heard that there is an emergency in the office here, and I must attend to it immediately. I hope to be back for five o'clock ... I have made reservations in the Rose Room at that time for dinner before we go to the theatre for the eight o'clock show. Is that acceptable?"

Nanny was taken aback. "I ... of course, but if you can't make it back, don't worry. I can manage to eat something on my own, for sure, sure, sure. I do hope it is nothing too serious."

"I hope so, too, but sadly I fear that it might be rather complicated. I will be in touch later, I promise."

Unable to resist, and longing to touch him, however insignificant the touch might be, Nanny smiled and held up her hand. "Do you pinky promise, promise, promise?"

Wilkes looked startled, then a smile broke over his face, and he linked his baby finger in hers. "I do," he said in a husky voice. For a moment they were still, both longing to move into the other's arms, but neither daring, feeling the pull might be too strong to resist. Then Wilkes disentangled his finger, stepped back and bowed, replacing his bowler on his head. "Until later, Nanny," he said, and hurried down the hallway towards the elevator.

O o O o O o

When Nanny was finished with Vincent that afternoon, she was walking across the lobby, holding her head carefully, when Miss Thompson called her over.

"Nanny, Sir Wilkes was trying to get in touch with you, and finally called me. It seems the crisis at his place of business is rather worse than he had anticipated, and he is terribly sorry, but he will not be able to join you for dinner this evening. He has already informed Thomas, and made arrangements for your dinner to be delivered to your room ... and he ... Sir Wilkes, that is, has promised ..." Miss Thompson paused and looked down at her paper, then back up at Nanny and smiled. "has PINKY promised," she amended, "to be at your door ready to go to the theatre at seven o'clock this evening."

"Thank you, Miss Thompson," Nanny smiled, telling herself that the disappointment welling in her was uncalled for. She turned away, but Miss Thompson called her back.

"Nanny? Sir Wilkes asked me to give you this message to keep ..." Miss Thompson handed the paper over to Nanny and she whispered conspiratorially, "and I won't tell anyone his final words!"

Nanny's eyes fell to the bottom of the paper where Miss Thompson had written in capital letters, 'PLEASE PASS ON MY SINCERE REGRETS AND MY LOVE.' Nanny's face heated up instantly, but a smile curved her lips. "Thank you again, Miss Thompson," and she made her way to the elevator, the precious note clutched in her hands.

Once upstairs, Nanny pressed the note to her chest, wishing it had been in Wilkes' handwriting, but glad she had something concrete from him to remember these last few days. The rings had been returned, the lilacs had drooped ... but with the help of this note, and perhaps even the pamphlet she would get at the theatre tonight, she would always be able to remember his kisses and the joy of being in his company for a wonderful three and a half days.

Some time later, staring at herself in the mirror, Nanny wondered who was the stranger with the upswept, complicated hairdo. She gingerly touched it, and grimaced at the hard, brittle feeling. Vincent, after vainly trying to convince her to allow him to cut it, had sprayed her hair heavily, saying that because it was so fine, it would have a tendency to slide out of any coiffeur, and would then look untidy. Nanny sighed. Her usual look was untidy, it seemed, because she was used to seeing fly-away tendrils to soften the curves of her face. For a moment she wished she could get in touch with the girls who had done her hair a few days before ... at least then it had been soft to the touch. NOW it felt like a board!

Nanny ran her bath and took her time washing, then, after getting out and drying, wearing just her robe, she stared again into the mirror and patted her head. No, she couldn't stand this. Uncaring of the cost she was about to wash down the drain, her fingers began to tear at the twists and curls and pins. She stepped back into the tub and turned on the shower, and managed to wash all the spray out of her hair.

By the time Wilkes arrived at her door promptly at seven o'clock that evening, she had fixed her hair into her usual bun, but had intentionally left a couple of strands trailing down in front. She had eaten the delicious meal sent up for her, all the time wishing Wilkes had been eating with her, but wondering if she would have enjoyed the food as much as she did when on her own and able to concentrate only on it. Dressed in the dark-blue wool dress with the silk shawl draped over a chair ready to put on when they left, she tried to ignore the pinching of her corset where it was cutting into her sides. In order to fasten the front buttons of the dress and have them lie flat without pulling wrinkles across her breasts, she had had to fight with the strings of the corset to tighten it as much as possible. She had carefully set her small, dressy cornflower blue hat with the short netting on her head, pinning it so that it wouldn't slide around and dishevel her hair too much.

"You look beautiful, Elizabeth Anne," Wilkes said after his eyes had swept down then up her body. "Absolutely divine."

Nanny felt herself blushing. "Thank you," she said, almost inaudibly. Then she turned and took up her shawl.

Wilkes was there in a moment, holding it for her, draping it over her shoulders, his hands lingering. They stared at each other for a moment, then Wilkes said hoarsely, "We should go ... or we will be late."

"Yes." Nanny ducked her head to hide her sudden confusion. She had been so looking forward to seeing this play ... but the longing had been so strong to just tug Wilkes into her room, shut the door and make love with him regardless of anything else they SHOULD be doing!

As they went down to the lobby with Max, Nanny asked shyly, "I do hope you managed to clear things up today at your office."

"Oh, yes, yes, I did. Quite. But it was nip and tuck, you know. Actually," he frowned, "a most important document was missing. As it turned out, Jamieson, my .... associate you saw the other night?, had misplaced the paper he was to rewrite and which was crucial to our work. Although we spent quite a bit of time trying to locate the man, it was impossible, so I had to, well, re-create the entire document. Naturally I had none of the information which was used in the first place, so it took my secretary and I all day to replace it. We do feel, however, that things actually worked out for the best, in spite of the hard work, as what we forwarded on was received far more favourably than Jamieson's initial proposal had been! For me, the most satisfying part of the day so far was hearing that I will no longer be having to deal with Jamieson any more. He is being let go. But enough about him ... and enough about business. I AM sorry about tonight's dinner ..."

"Aoww, I understand," she said quickly. "Business comes first."

As they stepped out of the elevator and the doors slid shut behind them, Wilkes took Nanny's gloved hand and kissed it, then whispered, "Not always, Nanny. Not always."

She caught her breath and swayed imperceptibly towards him before catching herself and taking a step forward. "Perhaps ... perhaps we should go ..."

"Yes, perhaps we should."

O o O o O o

When they found their seats in the Mark Hellinger Theatre, Nanny patted her botto with a short laugh, saying, "These seats to be just a little too narrow for someone with my ... er ... attributes. Still, it is nice to know that had I lived in ancient times, I'd have been thought most desirable." The moment the words left her lips, Nanny inwardly cringed. Oh my Lord, WHY had she said something so absolutely ... provocative?

Wilkes, however, merely chuckled. He pushed up the armrest between their two seats and said, "Perhaps this will make it more comfortable, Nanny."

When he sat down beside her after she was settled, the touch of his thigh against hers burned. Nanny tried edging away, but there was no room. She busied herself removing her gloves and tucking them into the small navy evening purse that matched her navy pumps. The young woman beside her was chattering to her friend and ignoring them. On Wilkes' other side, the gentleman was engrossed in his female companion. It seemed that Nanny and Wilkes were quite alone, and until the play started, she was very, very conscious of the man beside her. After the curtain rose, however, Nanny, like everyone else in the theatre, had no thought for anything but the show unfolding before her on the stage. She and Wilkes agreed, during the first intermission, that the show was absolutely marvellous.

Then, when Eliza was passionately singing "Show me!", Wilkes made his move. At first Nanny thought he was stretching and that the arm he was putting around her was temporary, accidental, only because she had leaned forward a little to cough. By the time she realized its true purpose, his arm had begun to seem natural resting there across her back along the top of her seat, his hand draped lightly over her far shoulder. The stroking of his fingers was gentle and gradual, even absentminded, and it didn't alarm her although it was slightly distracting. Whenever his fingers stilled, she found herself waiting for them to move again. One fingertip moved ever so slightly downward, still brushing lightly from side to side.

Nanny almost forgot to breath. Her lips slowly parted, and her own hands came unclasped in her lap. What should she do? She adjusted the shawl over her shoulders, and realized in a moment that his hand was underneath it, hidden from everyone. Then, oh my Lord, his hand was moving again ... BENEATH the neckline of her dress! Nanny stopped breathing entirely as he continued. In a split second, there was no ambiguity, no other way to think of it or describe it. Wilkes had all four fingers spread over her sensitive skin, softly caressing her.

It seemed that all her body fluids were rushing together and pooling somewhere in the vicinity of her lap. Was it really possible for a person to literally melt? She drew in a long, shaky breath, the slow, exacting torture making her eyelashes flutter and her mouth go dry. It was only by a miracle that she didn't moan or cry out. All she could manage was a breathless plea, "Please...!"

While continuing his ministrations with one hand, Wilkes' other hand entangled with her fingers. Nanny was melting, her flesh was turning into fire and water, she was a hot puddle of inarticulate wanting and the brink was nearing, nearing.....

Then the applause began. Nanny snapped out of her daze in near panic. She started to tremble as Wilkes drew his arm away and began to clap. She joined in half-heartedly. The lights came up. Nanny, shaking with suppressed longing, pretended to be looking for something in her purse, certain that if anyone saw her face, they would know every shameful thing she and Wilkes had been doing under cover of the darkness. Wilkes helped her to stand with a hand under her elbow. She couldn't look at him, even when he re-draped her shawl across her shoulders. He offered her his arm but she pretended not to see it, and somehow got herself out of the theatre unassisted. She was very quiet all the way back to the Plaza in the taxi, although he held her hand and their fingers continually entangled with one another's. Her mind was a jumble of guilt and confusion and embarrassment while her skin still tingled and burned with frustration.

Wilkes was silent himself, remembering how delicious it had felt to touch and excite Nanny, however outrageous and unacceptable his behaviour had been. He was suffering from a painful mixture of remorse and frustration, and wondered if she felt aching fires deep within her body just as he did now. He ought to apologize ... but knew that, given half the chance, he would do it all again in a moment. In fact, he couldn't wait to be given the chance. He planned to TAKE it. Tonight. He did not want to keep his hands off her or hers off him, now that he knew how glorious it could be, now that he knew he loved her so deeply. He wanted to make her care for him as much as he cared for her ... he wanted her strength and her courage and to gift her with his steadfastness and loyalty ... he wanted the relief her touch could give him and hoped to touch her soul as she had his ... he needed her energy, her vivaciousness, and most of all, he both needed and wanted her love and inwardly prayed that she felt the same about him.

O o O o O o

They were silent as they rode up to the sixteenth floor on the elevator. She handed him her key, he opened the door for her as he had the previous four days and stood back ... and she silently reached out and took his hand, her eyes begging for what she was too shy to ask aloud. He allowed her to draw him in, and when she handed him the 'Do Not Disturb' sign, he nodded imperceptibly and hung it on the outside of the door then closed and locked it behind himself. Turning to look at her, as she stood poised as if for flight, his 'Are you SURE?' hung soundlessly, almost palpably in the air.

Gathering all her courage, Nanny slowly nodded, her eyes expectant even as her stance was rigid. She was plainly terrified, yet resolute. At that moment, Wilkes knew exactly what to do. He kissed her forehead, then asked, "How about a nightcap?"

Without waiting for an answer, he went over to the credenza where Nanny kept her liquor and poured them each a double brandy. Nanny took a deep relieved breath. They both sipped, their hands a little shaky. Seeing that Wilkes seemed just as nervous as she was oddly made Nanny a little calmer. Suddenly she felt a giggle bubbling up from inside her and she couldn't stop it escaping her lips.

Somewhat confused and unsure now, wondering if he had misread the unspoken invitation, he asked, "What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing. I just ..." Then Nanny nerved herself, and put down her empty glass, took Wilkes' from his slack fingers, and mutely reached out for him again.

He stepped closer, then his arms went around her and his lips were on hers hungrily. Both realized that this was their last chance to be together before Eloise was home. If they went no further tonight, they most probably would not be going further ever. As they kissed, their hands weren't still: pressing, smoothing, clutching and loving. Suddenly, shockingly, the telephone rang shrilly.

Nanny pulled free, dragging in some air and trying to still her heart and steady her voice before she answered it. "Hello? ... Oh, hello, pet. ... Yes, yes, I'm back. ... Yes, the play was very good indeed. I'll tell you about it when you get home. ... Yes, I'll see you tomorrow, love, for sure, sure, sure. ... I ... I missed you, too, Eloise. Good-bye for now, love." She hung up the receiver, still shaking slightly, then looked at Wilkes. It was obvious the mood had been broken.

Wilkes tried to smile, but it was forced and weak. "I ... I do hope you enjoyed the play tonight. It was magnificent, don't you think? Perhaps the ending was a little ... unexpected ..."

"I don't even know if it had a happy ending or NOT!" Nanny almost wailed, not telling him she was more interested in a happy ending for herself, yet terrified it might not happen. If he left now, her happy ending doubtless would go with him. "I never got to see the end!"

Wilkes began to smile. He had affected her that much by his caresses in the theatre? Before he lost his nerve, he began to speak quickly, thinking of the ring he had tucked in his suit jacket pocket. "Elizabeth Anne, I SHOULD apologize, but the truth is, I am very, very glad you are so responsive to my touch. I love you ... more than you can imagine. I ... I need you, to make me into the man I want to be with you at my side. Please, please say you care for me too! I love your strength, your courage, your boundless energy with Eloise ... I want your love, your ..." now he blushed vividly, seeing her open-mouthed astonishment, "your body." he added quietly, and waited for her response.

Nanny snapped her mouth shut at his last two words, then a mischievous look crossed her face. "I saw enough of My Fair Lady, and remember enough to say, 'I'm a good girl, I am' ..."

"I didn't mean to say you weren't ..." Wilkes began to stammer wretchedly. Confound it, had he told her he wanted to marry her, or hadn't he? He couldn't remember. He certainly had MEANT to ask her! "I mean, I want ..."

Interrupting him, Nanny continued, "I also remember the last part I managed to see in the play. Like Eliza, I, too, would rather not have words right now ... Eliza said it best tonight to Freddie. Don't TALK of love ... SHOW me!"

"Sh - show?" Wilkes asked dazedly.

For answer, Nanny began to back towards her room, kicking off her dress shoes as she went and starting to undo the buttons down the front of her dress. Instantly Wilkes was at her side, his hands over hers as he helped her push the buttons through the holes, his lips sliding over her ear, her cheek, her forehead, her neck as he whispered, "Oh, my love!" before they finally covered hers.

Nanny sank onto the bed, and gave herself up to the wonder of it all as he deepened the kiss, their hands moving over each other, steadily and provocatively building the fires inside even as they slowly and somewhat awkwardly removed their clothing. He smiled at her corset before unlacing it, reverently released her garters and smoothed her stockings down her legs with loving touches.

Staring at the marks on her body where the corset had pressed into her, he looked into her eyes. "Why do you wear something that tortures you?"

Nanny swallowed. "To ... to appear thinner ..."

Wilkes shook his head and muttered as he cast the corset away. At last they were both naked, skin to skin, wrapped so tightly around each other that they weren't sure WHOSE heart was beating so passionately and so quickly.

His breath stirred her hair, and her lips touched the hollow at the base of his throat. His arms tightened around her even more. "Nanny?"

She heard again the question he didn't ask out loud. "Yes," she moaned. "Yes, Wilkes."

Their bodies trembled together and despite her bravado, Nanny felt a moment of fear when he rose over her. She had been told she would experience pain at this point ... a LOT of pain! Instead, she only felt discomfort ... and shame. Suddenly doubts began to seep into her mind. She was old ... her body was far from perfect, for Lord's sake! What if she disappointed him? What if she wasn't doing something right? In spite of herself, she tensed, trying to fight back the panic and feel only the desire. However, her arousal stubbornly receded, and the more it receded, the more her panic grew.

Then Wilkes, with a gasp, collapsed on her, his body shaking and his breathing as heavy and ragged as hers was. Nanny lay still, her body tingling yet somehow unsatisfied. Was he done? Had he ... had he gotten more out of their encounter than she had? Or had she completely ruined it for him? Terrified, she didn't move. She had wanted this to be so perfect ... but one could only escape reality so far. She had felt so wonderful in the beginning, so what had gone wrong? Or was this really all there was? Maybe the fireworks she had read about were just that ... fiction! Maybe the delicious feelings she had experienced a few moments ago were all she could hope for! They had been lovely, but somehow not quite what she had expected. Instead of fireworks, she only had experienced a sort of fizzle ...

Unlike the highly-charged silence of their time in the theatre, the taxi, and coming back into the Plaza, this silence was now awkward and tense. Both of them were contemplating the fact that making love wasn't quite what they had imagined it to be. Both were convinced it was their own fault, and not the other's. Nanny wanted to cry. Wilkes was wretchedly certain that she would never forgive him for this! What had gone wrong? Had he pushed her too fast? Had he ... had he HURT her?

"I'm sorry," Wilkes mumbled at last, kissing her cheek. "I'm so sorry, love." He kissed her other cheek. "I wanted to love you so badly ... and I ... I must have ... moved wrong ... or ..."

"YOU did?" Nanny opened her eyes and stared at him, incredulously. "I thought *I* had ..."

"Oh, no ... you ... you are perfect!" His lips touched hers briefly. "Perfect."

Nanny sighed. Perhaps ... perhaps they had not failed? Perhaps if they continued ... "Wilkes ..." she began hesitantly, then she smiled crookedly at his eyes fixed again on hers. "Perhaps we should try again." Slowly she began to move beneath him once more, even as she pulled his head back to hers as he deepened the kiss.

Their movements were slow and deliberate as once more they caressed each other lovingly. Nanny gasped faintly at the renewed ecstasy she was experiencing almost before she was aware that it had come roaring back. The sounds of her breathless cries and the feel of her coming apart in his arms burned away the last of Wilkes' control. He gave himself up to her, pouring into her all the love he had tried to express in words, and feeling her love washing over him in return.

As he lay on top of her, trying to catch his breath, he managed to say, "Elizabeth Anne, you quoted Eliza earlier by saying 'Show me!' I'm now quoting the men ... 'By George, we've got it!' Perhaps we should ... try again ... just to prove to ourselves that we can, you know..."

Nanny's breathless chuckle was smothered by his enthusiastic embrace.

O o O o O o

Lily, trundling her linen cart along early the next morning, stopped in surprise at the door to Nanny's suite. She stared at the Do Not Disturb sign, then her broad grin spread over her face. She just KNEW what had taken place there the night before! And THAT meant that she had won the betting pool! To be completely certain, she hurried down to Sir Wilkes' room with a supply of towels, just in case, and tapped lightly on his door before using her key to get in. Sure enough, his rooms were empty. "YES!" Lily cried exultantly, raising her fist into the air triumphantly.

O o O o O o

Nanny woke to pale dawn light and the stunning realization that she wasn't alone in her bed. A male body was pressed close against her back; his hand idly stroked her hip. "Did I show you my love adequately last night, Elizabeth Anne?" Wilkes whispered in her ear, unbelievably making her shiver with longing again.

Memories of the hot, wild things they had done last night, and more than once!, singed her mind. Nanny felt the heat creep up from her breasts, fortunately decently covered by the sheet, to her face. "Oh, my sainted Aunt Fanny!"

"Nanny? Eloise is returning today, is she not? Before she comes, I must know ... you WILL marry me, won't you?" Wilkes pleaded, his breath in her ear destroying her ability to think.

"Willy, I ... Ohhh, yes, yes, yes, Willy!" Nanny moaned faintly.

Swallowing hard, knowing she had to leave him, Nanny edged away and rolled onto her back so she could look at Wilkes. He was smiling lovingly at her. "When?" he asked.

Nanny frowned in puzzlement. "When?" she echoed. "When what?"

"When are you going to marry me? Today? Tomorrow?" Wilkes' hand smoothed over her hip again. "I love you, you love me ... you said yes, you'll marry me ... why should we wait? So ... WHEN will you marry me?"

"I said yes, I'd marry you?" Nanny stared at him, aghast. "I never did!"

"You did! Just a few moments ago! I asked if you'd marry me, and you said, 'yes, yes, yes, Willy!' And I plan to hold you to that promise. I'd LIKE to be married today ... but I will wait until tomorrow or even the day after that, if you really insist. And that's only because I'd like Kathleen, David and the boys to be here if it's at all possible."

"But I ..." Nanny was about to say she couldn't possibly marry him ... that he was too far above her on the social ladder ... that they couldn't marry on such short notice ... that his sister would never accept her ... but her thoughts scattered when he drew her closer, his touches growing ever more urgent.

"I never thought I could be this active when I was this old," he confessed, "but you really HAVE rejuvenated me! Except ... could we possibly skip breakfast today? I'd rather stay here in bed ... with you ... Oh dear! I have made a dreadful blunder!" He sat up straight in bed.

"What?" Nanny clutched the sheet to her bare breasts, her eyes wide.

Completely disregarding his nudity, Wilkes got up and rummaged in the inside pocket of his jacket. Nanny watched him, bemused, then held her breath when he turned and walked back to the bed, only to get carefully down on the floor on one knee beside her. He took her left hand in his, and slipped onto her finger the engagement ring he had bought a few days before. "Elizabeth Anne, my dearly beloved Nanny ... I love you and want to marry you as soon as we possibly can arrange it. I want to retire ... today, if possible ... and considering I own the company, it should be possible! I'll remain on the board as a consultant for a while until we replace Jamieson, but ... Good heavens! What am I doing? In the middle of a marriage proposal and FREEZING to death, I go on about retiring! I simply MUST do this properly. Nanny, please ... will you marry me? Very, very, very soon?"

"Wilkes, I ... you ... we ..."

"Tomorrow? Right! Brilliant! PERFECT!" he beamed. "I'll phone Kathleen and the boys ... later ... much later..."

He pulled himself to his feet, then scrambled into the bed beside her, drawing her closer once more.

"Oh, my stars, stars, stars!" Then Nanny began to chuckle softly as he nuzzled her neck. "Wilkes, if I DO marry you tomorrow ... or the next day if necessary, will you do something for me?"

"Anything, Nanny, my love!"

"Rawther rash promise, Willy," she commented, her hands sliding around his neck. "Take me to see My Fair Lady again as soon as Walter can get some more tickets? And this time let me WATCH it? I want to see it right through to the end this time. Even though she doesn't have YOU, I absolutely MUST know if Eliza could possibly be as divinely happy as *I* am right now!"

THE END (...and they lived happily ever after!)


End file.
